A Question of Trust: A Dani and Pierce Story
by Noella50881
Summary: The original unedited edition. Dani's 14 with Asperger's Syndrome and ADD. What happens when she meets the Autobots?
1. Chapter 1 Meeting

AN: Stories like these are not to be butchered or rewritten. Simply put: A story such as this is hard to write because it's difficult for a person to admit their disorder. In one way or another, this story is very different from the others. I want to spread the word that Asperger's Syndrome exists. I have my reasons for wanting to spread the word about Asperger's Syndrome, which is an Autism Spectrum Disorder. This is no joking matter regarding what I'm about to put on my story. A story can be fiction or non-fiction. Parts of the story is actually based on research. I'm a researcher. I research everything and analyze everything around me. That's just me with the exception of what goes on with the character with Asperger's Moments which are really zoning out which I do tend to do a lot under stress. My moments aren't seizures though.

People may react negativity which they did and were trying to dissuade me from writing this because of the POV's in this story. By choice, first, second, or third person can be used by the discretion of the Author. Writing a story takes time, effort, and a lot of patience.

The characters in this story are fictitious, but some events are based on researching and experience from my own views on my disorder. Yes, I have Autism Spectrum Disorder and Adult ADD. The character in this story is younger than me, is not me, and is no where related to me. Sharing the same interests with the character? No. My interests are astronomy, gardening, animal husbandry, and research. The character in this story shares only one interest and that's writing.

-0-

Chapter One

Dani's POV

I'm Danielle Evans. Dani for short. I'm 14 years old with shoulder length brown hair, chocolate brown eyes, and a disorder that makes any kind of socializing difficult. When I was a few years old, I was diagnosed with a high functioning disorder and I struggle with ADD as well! I struggle daily in school, have very little friends except two small gerbils, and write or read a lot of books to take get away from the taunts from other teens in my class.

One particular day after school, a group of known bullies surrounded my locker. I didn't want to engage them so I decided to forgo the locker. I knew they were waiting for me to go there so they could do something terrible to me. I'm known as a coward for my actions! I'm not brave. But I didn't want my heart's desire, a book I've been writing for three years to be suddenly torn to pieces and spat on! That's what the bullies do to me when they find out I've been acting abnormally in their eyes. I write my frustrations in science fiction and fantasy. I clutch my composition book against my chest as I leave the building.

"Well, well, well! Look who tried to sneak by us, guys! Little Miss Bookworm!" A guy named Pierce Antony taunted. His remark brought others toward me and I knew I was going to have to clutch the book closer to my chest! "Oooh! What's this? Another stupid story!" Pierce exclaimed, reaching for the composition book. I jerked away from him, protecting the book.

Suddenly, Pierce's lackey's grabbed my backpack as he fought me for my composition book! I froze as he read it! "Trash! Trash-"  
Abruptly, we all heard a siren from behind Pierce. Pierce turned around and sneered at the cop car and a black haired man emerging from the cruiser, "This doesn't concern you."

"Oh! But it does! Release the girl and give her back her book!" the man growled.

Pierce smirked. "No." He said, opening the composition book and holding onto a page.

"Noooo!" I exclaimed hysterically and tears began to fall from my cheeks. I was beginning to get frustrated. "No! Please! Pierce! Anything but that!" I begged hoarsely.

The ones behind me laughed and I heard the dreaded sound. A page being torn out and before Pierce could rip the page into tiny pieces, the cop behind him grasped his arms and pushed against the car. "Hey man! That girl is an alien! She writes stupid things!"

"Shut up! All of you go home! NOW!" The man said, releasing Pierce and pushing him away from the girl. "If I catch you here, I will haul you up to the station."

The others let me go as I bent down to look at the composition book. It had only one page torn out! But that was like writing it from scratch again! Mom and Dad wouldn't buy me another one if Pierce tore through them all.

The man bent down and asked, "Are you all right?"

It took a minute for me to understand the question before I nodded. "It's ruined." I said, softly. "All of it."

"No it's not." He said. "You're holding your page in your hand. It's not ruined."

"I spent three years writing this piece."

"I spent more years on this planet and studied all it's inhabitants. I do not particularly like bullies. They prey on the weak."

"I must be going home. I've got chores to do."

I stood up, putting the torn page into the composition book. "Thank you." I said slowly as I walked away from the man.

-0-

Barricade's POV

The man watched his target walk away. There was something about the girl that baffled him and he hated any kind of weakness. He didn't want to show his evil side just yet! Barricade knew what to do next and phase two of his plan had to begin now. He grumbled, "Younglings these days."

He walked back to his cruiser and followed her home to make sure she didn't run into those bullies. He did a bit of research to find out more about his target. Her name was Danielle Evans, born on August 1st 2011 to Robert Evans and Cherry Lee Evans. Address is 2110 Adelande Drive, NE.

-0-

Regular POV

Dani walked up to the front door and pulled out her house key. She turned the key in the lock and opened the front door. She walked inside the house and gasped. "Oh my gosh!" She said, dropping her composition book to the floor.

She locked the door and called her Dad. On the third ring, her father answered, "Hello?"

"Dad?" Dani asked.

"Dani? What's wrong?"

"Someone trashed the house!"

"Okay! Just relax! Are they still there?"

"No."

Robert didn't speak for a while before issuing an order. "Go to the safe room, Dani."

"Okay, Dad."

Dani wasted no time gathering her composition book and walked to a door at the end of the hall. She took out another key from her pocket and opened the strange metal door. Walking into the safe room, she saw three computers flicker to life. All of them with a strange symbol on them. They looked like faces. She hadn't noticed them before and hadn't paid attention them. Dani made sure to close the door and lock it. She sat down in front of one of the computers and looked down at her composition book. Taking out the torn page, she mumbled, "I knew it was a wasted effort! Why did I even listen to that man?"

Dani wanted to throw away the book, but a computer began flashing in front of her face. She looked up and slowly hit the space bar. The screen changed from the friendly face to that of another face this time mechanical in nature, "Danielle Evans?" It inquired.

Dani jumped and pushed the chair away from the desk. She waited a minute to answer. "Yes?"

"Stay where you are. We are coming."

Dani didn't know what to do or say. It took her poor brain to figure out that whoever they were were coming to get her! It scared her and she began rocking back and forth.

"Calm yourself." the voice said.

It only fueled her into more rocking back and forth.

"I'm a friend of your fathers..."

Dani's eyes widened as she recalled that meeting...Robert Evans introduced two men to her and she hadn't taken it well. She ran away for the first time and rocked in her room. She wasn't used to new people. Robert had to come up there to soothe his Autistic daughter. "I'm sorry," He apologized to the two men, once he had calmed her down. Robert led the men into his office.

Dani, after, rocking, left her room and went in search of her Dad. She found him in his office talking to the two men.

"Listen, Optimus. I can't do this anymore! I'm worried sick about my daughter's safety! She doesn't know anything about the Decepticons or the Autobots! I don't want her to go through what I've been through! Your people are the only ones who can protect her! Please!"

"I'll do everything I can for your family. I will have my men set up a safe room in this house."

"You'll do that for me?"

"Yes. We will keep your daughter safe, but know this! Once she goes into the safe room, she becomes our ward. Is that what you want for your daughter?"

"Yes. It'll be too late and the Decepticons will have already killed me."

Dani couldn't listen anymore. Who were the Autobots and Decepticons? She walked back to her room and went to bed.

-0-

Now Dani was standing there, looking at the computer, unable to move from her spot. She remembered that conversation and she knew that the men who had visited her father were on their way to get her. She even remembered what the man named Optimus said about being their ward once she stepped foot into the safe room! Her father told her to go to the safe room. Dani shifted foot to foot.

"What is your hobby?" the mechanical being asked.

Dani looked at him. "I like to write."

"You like to write? What do you write?"

"Yes." She said slowly.

"What do you write?" the mechanical being asked patiently.

"Science fiction and fentasy."

"You mean fantasy?"

"Yes."

"What happened to your book there?"

Dani looked at the composition book and rushed to her work. "Nothing."

The mechanical face narrowed his blue eyes at her. "Nothing?" He intoned. "I take it that you tore the first page?"

"Are you that man who visited me at school today?" She asked, her eyes widening and forming a kind of trust.

"No. Who visited you?"

"A man in a police car."

Dani heard something in a different language being said to the face on the screen. The face turned stern for a minute. "Danielle Evans, be truthful in what you say to me. Did you get a good look at the policeman?"

"No."

Dani felt sorry she didn't get a good look at the man. Instead, she looked at her composition book.

"Danielle Evans? Do you know who my organization is?"

Dani shook her head. "No."

"You will in a moment. Stand by. My team has arrived."

Dani spun around, holding the composition book to her chest. She heard the door open and two men stood there. Dani recognized the man who met her father. Seeing him without Dad was even more strange and scary. His blue eyes were calm as the sea, short brown hair with a tint of gray, and was wearing a sort of uniform with a strange symbol that was on the computer monitor that hadn't been touched since she was there.

"Danielle Evans?" the man asked. "My name is Orion Pax and I need you to come with us."

It took a minute for Dani to understand, but she didn't want to go, not without her Dad. "Daddy?"

"Do not worry about your Daddy. He is safe." Orion said.

Dani shook her head and held up a hand to her ear in frustration. She barely made any eye contact with Orion.

"Do you want me to buy you a new composition book, there?" Orion asked.

Dani looked up at him. "Daddy said he wouldn't buy me one because I have ten of them."

"Ten of them?"

"Yes." It was getting easier to talk to Orion now. She was loosening up to him.

The thing was Dani was shy around new people and once she got to know them or feel comfortable with them, she'd slowly open up to them. It had to be on her time.

"Ah! I see. Would you come with me and I'll help you pick out a new composition book to write your stories in?"

"Really?"

"Yes."

Dani smiled and followed another man out of the house. She paused in the middle of the room. She looked back at Orion, who was now talking to the mechanical man. One of the men who was next to her grabbed her arm. Dani shrieked.

"Ratchet." Orion said. "Her father warned us not to grab her hands or touch her."

The man looked at Dani and let go of her hand. Dani huffed and puffed. She ran upstairs to her bed room and sat on her bed. She began to rock back and forth.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Orion and Ratchet held a conversation. "Remember what her father said about her being autistic."

Ratchet nodded. He wished he could sedate her and take her in his alt-form. Then they wouldn't have to go at her pace. He had very little patience.

"Ratchet, my friend," Orion said, smoothly. "Go up to her room and soothe her."

-0-

Dani felt herself calming down on her own. Usually her father calmed her down and then she began to think why she overreacted. She recognized both men from a previous meeting with her father. Hearing footsteps, she tensed and held her breath.

The door opened, revealing the man who scared her. He walked in with a friendly smile. "I'm sorry, Dani." He apologized. "I sure hope you will forgive an old timer."

The man who scared her looked older than Orion. He had gray hair, some wrinkles, a round face, with vibrant blue eyes. Dani thought she could swim in his eyes.

"Dani?" He questioned.

"You're a friend of Orion's?"

"Yes." Ratchet said, wondering about her more.

"Okay." She said getting up from her bed. Suddenly, she grabbed his hand and led him to a bookcase filled with all her composition books and notebook paper. "Look! I wrote all this!" She indicated. "Wrote this all."  
"That's good."

"I take this with me?"

Ratchet's face fell and was about to shake his head. Instead, he said, "We'll see."

Dani frowned and said, "I like my composition books, please! Want to take them with me. I don't want anyone but me reading them."  
"Dani. Listen to me..."

"NO! I WANT MY COMPOSITIONNNN BOOKS NOW!" Dani yelled. "NOOOO! MINE!"

"Listen to me!" Ratchet said, forgetting about not touching Dani. He grabbed her head and made her look into his intense eyes. They glowered and Dani shrunk back. "Now you see here, we will be back for all your stuff. Right now is not the time to bring these stories of yours to our base. Now! Let's get you packed and ready to go!"

Dani stifled a sob and ran away from Ratchet! She ran into her father's study, rocking back and forth. Finally, she began to cry out of frustration again. "Daddy!"

Chapter Two

Optimus sensed Dani running through the house and into her father's study. There she stayed there while Ratchet packed her clothes. Optimus directed his holoform towards the study. He wondered what prompted Dani to go into the study. Seeing her rocking back and forth and crying made him feel worse. What did Ratchet do to make her breakdown like this? He intended to find out. Walking slowly into the study, he leaned down next to her and said softly, "Dani? What's wrong?"

"Ratchet yelled at me." She said hoarsely. "Told me I couldn't bring my composition books with me."

"Did you yell at him? I heard your voice yelling first."  
"Yes, but I'm sorry! I get confused and frustrated!"

Optimus nodded. "Let me introduce you to someone with a lot more patience than Ratchet."

"I heard that!" Ratchet said. "I packed the clothes and accessories she'll need for her duration."

"All right, old friend. Let's roll."


	2. Chapter 2 Dani and Sunstreaker

Chapter 2 Dani and Sunstreaker Continued

Dani's POV

They led me outside and I saw a blue, red flamed semi, a huge black GMC Topkick, two Lamborghini's, one red, one yellow, a green and white rescue vehicle, a cop car that looked like the one who saved me and I brightened up at the sight of the car, and a yellow and black striped Camaro. I knew all of my cars and I wandered over to see their license plates.

"What's this fleshling doing?" A deep gruff voice asked.

I jumped and ran toward the yellow Lamborghini. I barely put my hand out when he snapped, "Don't even touch my paint!"

I let out a yelp. "Sunstreaker." Orion reprimanded. "Be nice."

"I'll be nice when she learns no one touches my paint!"

"I like yellow colors."

"Good for you!" Sunstreaker growled. "Go bug Bumblebee."

"No thanks! I like bugging you! You're so like Pierce Antony! He's so dumb that his brain's mostly oatmeal! Picks on everyone below him."

Sunstreaker revved his engine. "Prime! Get this this squishy away from me or else!"

"Or else what?" I prompted. "Gonna run me over?"

"Dani. Why don't you go over to Bumblebee?" Orion asked.

I frowned. "Do I have to? I like Sunstreaker."

I heard him sputter and the assembled was in a state of shock. "Oooh! Brother! Love at firs' sight!" the red Lamborghini said, snickering.

"Shut up!" Sunstreaker said to the red Lamborghini. "Fine! You like me so much, come on in. You had better not get your organic fluids all over my interior or you're going to find your face planted in the asphalt."

"What?" I asked, my mind not really comprehending what he just said. He said it too fast for me to understand. I was standing there admiring the red Lamborghini now.

"Please excuse my brother," the red car said. "He's being nothing but an aft-hole."

"Language!" the gruff voice said. "Do not cuss in front of Younglings!"

"Is that like ass and hole?" I asked as I heard a chuckle. "Close," the red Lamborghini said.

"Danielle Evans!" Orion said in a loud voice, intended to chastise. "You keep your tongue in check!"

I didn't understand. "Ass isn't a cuss word. It's got two meanings! Ass means donkey and the other means your rear end!" I said.

Orion walked over to me. "As our ward, I am warning you one last time. One more cuss word and I will wash your mouth out with soap."

"Okay!" I said apologetically. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again!"

"Good! Get in the car! We've got to go."

So, I slid into Sunstreaker and shrieked in excitement!

"What?" Sunstreaker exclaimed angrily.

"I've never ridden in one."

"One what? A Lamborghini?"

"Only rich folk get these cars!"

"Oh for Primus' sake!" Sunstreaker groused. "I dislike Fleshies!"

"Then why are you letting me in here if you dislike me, hmm?"

"Because you're different!"

I became quiet and looked out the window. The ride was a bit too smooth and I rubbed my forehead. Another nervous gesture and I watched as the neighborhood I was so familiar with pass by. I watched until the last house disappeared before I 'zoned' out into another world. A world I was much more comfortable and unaware of my surroundings until I heard a sharp voice. It jolted me from my thoughts.

"What?" I asked.

"I asked you if you were comfortable enough?"

"I'm fine!" I said, my face turning red.

"Good! Because the next time I ask you something, pay attention! I'm not going to repeat myself twice!"

"I can't help it if I tune you out! It just happens, Sunstreaker! My God! You think I'm doing this on purpose! I'm not!" I spat out. "As a matter of fact, maybe you should look up Asperger's Syndrome is!" I paused. "Oh that's right! I'm not a text-book case!"

"Silence!" Sunstreaker said.

I scoffed. "You know, I'm not as stupid as you think I am!"

"I didn't say you were stupid."

"You thought it!" I said somberly. "I've had some idiot pick on me all because I'm different."

"You are different from all the people around you." Sunstreaker said.

"Do you mean that in a good way or a bad way?"

"Why?" Sunstreaker asked. "You mean to tell me that you have a bully who picks on you because of your disorder?"

I looked down to the floor board and nodded, "Yes I do. Pierce Antony picks on me because I'm slower and in special classes for Math. I'm not real good with mathematics, but I'm good with English! I had tutors in English and Math. I struggled with basic math for a long time. English was easier for me to learn." I took a deep breath and tried to relax. "Pierce's been picking on me since the kindergarten and-"

"Does this bother you?"

"What?" I asked, trying to keep from crying.

"Does this bother you?"

"Of course it does. Haven't you been bullied?"

"No. So what do you do to cope with your disorder? Prime told me you write."

"Prime? Who's Prime?" I asked.

"You saw the huge semi with the flames, right?"

"Yes." I said.

"That is Prime. Optimus Prime to be exact!"

"Oh! So he's schizo?"

Sunstreaker slammed on his brakes. "Schizo? Absolutely not! Optimus Prime and Orion Pax are both the same people! What gave you that idea?"

"Only schizo's have dual personalities."

I heard a chuckle coming from the enclosed space. "I assure you, Danielle, I am not a schizo." Optimus' voice rang out from the radio.

"You heard that?"

"Yes. And you are opening up to us now."

"I am?"

"Yes. You've been talking real comfortably with Sunstreaker. But the question is, do you trust us?"

"I don't know." I said. "I'd like to, but I don't know how."


	3. Chapter 3 Project Yellow

Chapter 3 Project Yellow?

"What do you mean?" Sunstreaker asked. "What do you mean you don't know how to?"

I opened my mouth to speak when Optimus changed his mind in a flash. I didn't have the time to answer before Sunstreaker shot forward in a burst of speed.

"What's going on?" I asked, seeing the police car who didn't speak to me while I talked to Sunstreaker and his brother. His brother never even told me his name. The other police car cut Sunstreaker off, his lights flashing and siren going. Sunstreaker tail-gated the police car.

"You know that's illegal?" I asked, pointedly. "You're going to get a ticket."

"So is not fastening your seatbelt." a new voice said through the radio. It didn't sound like Optimus.

"Um-"

"Um is not a valid response." the voice said. "Why did you not fasten your seatbelt?"

"Didn't occur to me." I struggled with fastening the seatbelt. "Sorry." I added. "What are you doing?"  
"Taking you to safety."

"Oh."

I was starting to close up again and felt a bit intimidated. "Danielle Evans?" Sunstreaker asked. "Are you all right?"

"Am I all right?" I asked. "First you guys come here expecting to me open up to you guys. What's going on back there?" I pointed behind me, but when I turned to look, I couldn't see anything out of the back window. It was tinted. I swore the window wasn't tinted when I slid into the car. "Why's the window tinted?"

"What you would have seen would have given you a fit. I wanted to avoid that." Sunstreaker answered. "You've opened up enough to trust us. The next step is: Do you trust us enough to ensure your life even if you weren't aware of being followed?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"A question of trust!" Sunstreaker said. "Your father disclosed some things regarding your levels of trust. You need to learn them and fast."

I didn't say anything about that and I only trusted my family. I didn't trust a talking car, er, talking cars that are trying their hardest to keep a secret. There's one thing you all didn't know. I'm into mysteries. I'm bound to find out about their secrets and that was one thing I intended to find out once I get to where they were taking me.

After five minutes of sitting in silence, I asked a question that has been puzzling me. "What are you guys? I know this isn't real."

"Why do you say that?" the new voice asked. "I know what is real and what is not real. There is a difference between reality-Sunstreaker. Go. Get her out of here."

Sunstreaker drove past the black and white cop car. I didn't see who had been chasing us, but I felt fear. Sunstreaker's tint disappeared and I saw a red car. "Isn't that your brother?" I asked, pointing to the car that the black and white car that now flanked us.

"No." Sunstreaker growled. "Meet our foes! The Decepticons!"

I turned around and watched as the black and white car pulled out from behind us and speed down the road.

The red car sped out from behind us and raced after the black and white car. Sunstreaker spun his steering wheel hard to the right as he sped onto un-coming traffic. I heard a curse and then dodged drivers honking their horns. My life flashed in my eyes as a huge semi truck barreled its way to us. I screamed and Sunstreaker sped forward and switched lanes faster than I could blink. "What was that for?" I asked hoarsely.

"Be quiet!" Sunstreaker grumbled. "Did you have to scream like that?"

I crossed my arms and leaned back against the seat. "I was scared when I saw the semi truck coming to us."

Sunstreaker vented hot air from his vents, but didn't comment.

"When you get a chance, could you pull over somewhere? I think I've got to go to the bathroom?"

"No." He said simply. "We aren't pulling off anywhere."

"Well, you said you didn't want any of my 'organic fluids' in yourself." I reminded him. "You scared me and I've got to go now!"

"No."

"Fine. Don't yell at me when you smell something foul. You know how hard it is getting that smell out of your seats."

I heard a growl from the engine and then Sunstreaker grumbled. "Fine! I pull over at the next gas station and you have five minutes to get back out here to me! Am I clear?"

"Crystal."

At the gas station, before I got out of the car, I told him, "You know you can be real jerk sometimes." I almost had half the mind to slam the door, but I didn't. I walked away from the car toward the bathroom inside the store. I took my time washing my hands and then stepped out of the bathroom. I spent a good amount of time in browsing for something to snack on. I picked out a 'Snickers' bar and a cold Coke. I checked my pockets to find out that they were empty. I flushed red when I realized that my after school money was gone. Pierce's lackey's took the cash from me while they held my arms. "I'm sorry." I said to the clerk. "I don't have it."

"How much?" A man asked from behind me.

I felt my heart rise into my stomach and turned to see a man dressed a yellow shirt, blue jeans, and short, cropped brown hair. His eyes were a sparkling blue and immediately, I averted my gaze. I wasn't accustomed to looking at people in the eyes.

"Two dollars and fifty-six cents." the clerk said.

The man plopped down the money and then said, "Come with me, please."

I followed him, keeping my eyes averted from him. I couldn't help it. When we reached the yellow Lamborghini, he opened the car door for me. I slid wordlessly into the seat. I didn't say anything until we got onto the highway.

"Usually, someone says a thank you when they get help." Sunstreaker said.

"Thank you." I said, still not looking at his human form. I didn't know anything about his human form and I wasn't sure what to think. "That was you, wasn't it? But how?"

"A holoform. Makes it easier for us to blend into the environment." Sunstreaker said, looking down at the uneaten 'Snickers' bar and unopened Coke. "Aren't you going to eat and drink?"

I nodded glumly. "What's wrong?" Sunstreaker asked, wondering what was wrong with their ward.

I looked over to him and forced my gaze to him. "My Dad's dead, isn't he? Why would two Decepticons be after me? What use would I be to them?" I asked.


	4. Chapter 4 Decepticons and a Snicker's

Chapter 4 Decepticons and 'Snickers' Bar

Sunstreaker skipped the first question and went ahead with something else. He didn't want her to cry. "You possess something the Decepticons want."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Optimus and Ratchet are the only ones who know. You may ask them when we get to our base."

"Base? As in, um, military base?"

"Yes."

I looked at my snack again and looked at the clock on the radio. It was a little after five now. Dad would be home by now, cooking dinner and having me help him with preparations.

"What about my Dad? Will he be there?"

"There are certain steps that had to be taken...Oh Slag!" Sunstreaker broke off and sped up.

"What's going on?"

Two huge black SUVs were merging onto the highway, lights flashing and sirens heading to us.

"Hang on, Danielle."

I looked at the two black SUVs and said, "Oh! Those are cops! You need to stop."

"I stop and they get you." Sunstreaker growled, checking his sensors. Optimus, Ratchet, Prowl, and Sideswipe were chasing them. They were racing toward the SUVs. Then Optimus sideswiped one of the SUVs and transformed right in front of my eyes. I screamed as the SUV slid over to us as Sunstreaker sped up, bypassing all the cars who were trying to get away from the oncoming SUV, now on it's side, sparks flying from the concrete. Then Sunstreaker spun around to face the SUV.

"Sunstreaker?" I shrieked. "Look out! Move it!"

"Do not tell me what to do!"

"But can't you see that SUV coming toward us." I asked, beginning to feel panicky and started to fight with the door. "Let me out!" I grabbed the door handle and couldn't get it. The seatbelt tightened and Sunstreaker reversed backwards. "You crazy car!" I exclaimed, hitting the dashboard. "Idiot! Jerk!"

"Shut up!" Sunstreaker growled angrily. "I don't put up with smart mouths."

I screamed out when I saw the SUV transform in front of my eyes. It was big, black with red eyes. It was sure ugly and menacing. "What is that!" I shrieked.

"A Decepticon named Crankcase!" Sunstreaker said.

I noticed we weren't moving fast now. "Sunstreaker, don't you think it's a gooood idea to drive faster from that monster?"

"Well. I've decided to show you the differences between our side and theirs."

"I think the red eyes means it's evil." I told him. "That's their trademark, isn't it?"

"Their eyes? Oh-no. Their trademark is something else all together. Look on my wheel, please."

I didn't want to take my eyes off that monster. "He's right there!"

"Second glance at my wheel."

"Shut up!" I said. "Just drive! I don't care what your trademark is!"

"Then how do know which side to trust, hmm? How do you know we're not the Decepticons and they are the Autobots?"

Sunstreaker abruptly reversed and sped down the road.

Crankcase just scanned his alt-form and found out that their target was there and he immediately changed into his alt-form.

"Because-" I trailed off. "Because-I heard Dad talking to someone named Optimus and Ratchet in his office."

"You eavesdropped on a private meeting between your father and his boss."

"So?"

"Do you not know how bad it is to eavesdrop on the Leader of the Autobots?"

"So what?"

"You heard of a project called, 'Project: Yellow'?"

What was Project: Yellow? "What's 'Project: Yellow'?" I asked.

"You have to be kidding me!" Sunstreaker asked. "You slaggin' don't know!"

"I slaggin' don't!" I remarked.

"What do you know about 'Project: Yellow'?" Sunstreaker asked in a low tone which sounded menacing to me.

Now why is he treating me like I'm the enemy when I'm not? I drew my arms and hugged myself. I stubbornly refused to let any tears fall from my eyes. Tears were prickling my lashes, but I didn't want to cry. I fought against crying and let out a stifled gasp.

"Dani?" Sunstreaker asked in a concerned voice. "Are you all right?"

I nodded furiously and croaked, "'m 'kay."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded.

"You don't sound fine to me."

"Why are you so mean?"

Sunstreaker applied his brakes to stop for a minute. He heard a squeal of brakes behind him and a voice asked, "What the Slag? Are you glitched or something?"

"Of course not. Dani? I'm sorry if you thought I was mean to you, but I wasn't. Maybe you just misunderstood my tone. But, do you know anything about Project: Yellow?"

"No." I said. "I don't. Dad kept all his files in a safe."

"Do you know the combination?"

"No. I'm not good with combination locks."

Sunstreaker drove forward and I was silent before remembering the 'Snickers' bar and Coke. I slowly opened the wrapper being mindful of Sunstreaker's carpets while I bit into the bar. It tasted heavenly and made me feel a lot better.


	5. Chapter 5 Dani Plans

Chapter 5 Dani Plans

Things in the last chapter were weird, weren't they? Getting chased by evil giant robot aliens and grab a 'Snickers' bar while you're on the run. I thought that was pretty funny myself. But Dani's life is anything but ordinary, though. :)

In this chapter, Dani learns about the Autobot's plans. What are those plans? Find out and read. It isn't what you'd expect and Dani is plotting a way to leave the Autobots for her own reasons. We also learn the reason why Dani's so eager to leave the Autobots and we also learn what Cherry Evans' job is, now.

Chapter Five

A Few Hours later

I was quiet for the rest of the ride and looked out the window. After what seemed like hours, Sunstreaker and the rest of the team merged off the highway. I saw a green sign, "Greenville". I hadn't visited Greenville and it was already nine o'clock. My bedtime was running late and it was school night. Dad wouldn't let me stay up past nine thirty. "Are we almost there?"

"No. We're stopping here for your comfort. Optimus has a twin bed in his cab. He wants you to sleep in him tonight."

"So you're going to let me go to the bathroom, brush my teeth, and then go to bed?"

"Yes. Did you think we were going to drive with you all the way to the next few exits?"

I shrugged. They all pulled into a gas station and Sunstreaker let me out. I stretched my legs and walked into the gas station. I went into the bathroom and did my business. When I went to leave, I bumped into Orion's holoform. "Omph."

"Brush your teeth." He ordered.

I grabbed my toothbrush and toothpaste from him. I took a few minutes to brush my teeth, but all the while, I wondered if I did something wrong. When I was done, he led me to his truck. I didn't know what to expect, but he opened a separate door. I climbed up the steps to the sleeper cabin. "This is just for the night. You need to sleep. You've had a rough day."

"Are we staying at the gas station?"

"No."

"Oh."

Orion's holoform waited until I stepped into the sleeper cabin. I heard the engine turn and then I let out a tiny startled shriek. "Optimus? Help."

Orion's holoform reappeared in the cabin and he grabbed my arms. I fought him a little and then realized he was only trying to help. He drew me close to his body.

"It's okay, Dani. No one's going to hurt you."

"I don't like loud noises."

"I can silence my engine noise." The engine noise died down, but there was now a vibration from the floor.

"Moving?"

"Not yet." Orion said comfortingly. "Why don't you get ready for bed and I'll watch over you until you fall asleep?"

There was no way I'd fall asleep with a vibration! I rarely fall asleep in the car. When I was eight years old, my grandparents took me to their house for over the summer. All throughout the drive during the day, I was all right. They decided to drive all day and through the night. The one problem was lying in the backseat to go to sleep. I couldn't sleep with motion and vibration! For some reason, it bothered me. I began crying and claimed I had a bad dream. After that, I stayed up all night, well into the day. When we got to their house, I fell asleep almost immediately. Now they knew I couldn't sleep in cars or moving vehicles. I doubted I'd sleep anyway. It was all because I was overly sensitive to new things and changes.

Orion snapped his fingers in front of my face. I had 'zoned' out again. I watched him disappear and I went ahead and dressed in my pajamas. I didn't slip into bed and nor did I make any move to go get comfortable.

"Dani?" Optimus asked. "Are you tucked in bed?"

I looked at the bed and then looked around the cabin. Optimus wasn't going to move until I was sitting or lying in bed. "No." I answered.

Orion reappeared in front of me and I retreated away from him. "Dani. Come over here." He indicated to the bed.

"No."

"We need to get moving and the only way we're going to move is for you to lay down and get some sleep. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."

"It's not that!" I blurted out. "Honest!" I acted like a child.

"Then what is troubling you so much?"

"I don't like moving cars when I sleep!" I finally said. "It's the vibration! The motion!"

"Oh! Is that what's bothering you?"

"Yes."

"I will try to lessen the vibration, but you do need to sleep. It's getting late and you'll be in a terrible mood tomorrow morning if you don't sleep."

"I'll try." I said, walking toward the bed. I pulled back the sheet and blanket. I slowly slipped into the bed and watched Orion sit down in a chair. I didn't feel any vibration, but then I felt the engine rumble. I looked at him and said, "Rumble?"

"Normal." He said as the truck began to slowly move.

I tried to get comfortable, but I knew that I wouldn't sleep anyway. Then I began to feel tired. My eyelids were starting to droop and then I succumbed to sleep.

-0-

Optimus' POV

When Dani fell asleep, I felt much better. I finally convinced her to go to sleep. I kept my comm open for all communication between my team. Sunstreaker gave me the recording of her conversation with him. She was beginning to trust Sunstreaker and me. Perhaps we'll be able to open that trust further. I have it in my spark to get her to open to all of my team. I wasn't expecting her to open to Sunstreaker. Not many 'Bots liked Sunstreaker that much. He was too 'mean' and a 'risk taker'. He had already done a risky thing by introducing Crankcase! Perhaps Sunstreaker should be given a reprimand about his risk taking with Dani. I will have Ironhide hand out the punishment detail when we get to base.

"Sunstreaker? When we get to base, report to Ironhide for punishment."

"Punishment, sir?"

"Yes. You risked Dani's life and that is not what we are supposed to do." Optimus said. "We are supposed to keep humans safe from the 'Cons."

"Yes sir." Sunstreaker said. "Apologies."

"Apology accepted, but you will report to Ironhide."

"Yes sir."

Optimus checked on Dani. She was sound asleep, small snores escaping from her mouth. As long as she slept, they sped up, all the while keeping an eye out for Decepticons.

-0-

Early morning

I heard nothing. No rumble of an engine, nothing. I heard faint voices and I slowly woke. I looked around the room. The walls were painted a soft brown. There was a closet across the room, a small table with my gerbils' tank near the wall, I had forgotten about them and wondered who remembered them, there was a small bookcase filled with some of my favorite books, and door leading somewhere else. There were two doors in the room. I sat up in bed and flipped over the sheet and blanket. I slipped out of bed, rubbing my feet on the soft carpet. Putting up a hand on my ear and moaning, I felt out of place! I felt this wasn't home no matter how much they did to help me. "Ooomoom." I moaned. Then I lifted both hands and started rocking back and forth upright instead of sitting down.

Suddenly, the door flung open and Orion ran into the room. This time he had to comfort me. He hugged me and whispered little encouraging words to soothe me.

"Dani! It's okay! I know you're not used to this! It'll be all right!" He soothed. I put both of my hands down from my ears, but I let out a terrible scream. "All right! It's all right!"

"Not mine! NOT MIIINE!" I yelled.

"Yes. This is your new room."

"Noooo! I want my Dad! Bring my Dad here!"

"Ratchet!" Orion called out. "Engage your holoform and help me with Dani for a moment!"

Within minutes, Ratchet's holoform walked into the room, hand carrying a syringe. He was ready to sedate her.

"Needle! Needle!" I clung to Orion's holoform and wouldn't let go.

"Put the needle away, Ratchet."

Orion pulled me to the bed and we both sat down. "Dani! Relax. You're in safe hands."

"Needle!"

"No needle. You don't like shots and neither does Lennox. Why don't you explore the bathroom? There's a surprise in there."

"Surprise?" I asked, coming out of my bad Asperger's moment.

"Yes. A surprise."

I detached from Orion and walked over to the bathroom. I saw that it was my favorite color. Purple. I smiled happily. "Thanks!" Then I closed the door and relieved myself, washed my hands, and then my smile fell as I left the bathroom. "School?"

"You won't have to go today or tomorrow. We'll have a tutor come later in the week. Right now, you're here for your protection."

"Okay."

"There are some rules you've got to abide by, okay?"

"Okay."

"Number one rule: Do what we say. We do want you to be safe here and when we tell you to do something, you do it without question." Orion said.

"What if I don't understand?"

"We'll explain it to you in further detail." Ratchet put in.

"Second rule: Persist in trouble-making, you are to report to Ironhide. He deals with punishment."

"He's that gruff speaking GMC Topkick, right?"

"Yes. Rule number three: When you are called to the Med-Bay, do not skip out on your appointments." Ratchet warned. "If you do, I'll find you and drag you myself."

I hugged myself.

"Rule four: You must not tell anyone where we are. We are to be kept in secret."

"Rule five: All outings must be approved by Prime, or I, or Prowl. Any unauthorized outings will not be tolerated." Ratchet said.

I didn't understand why I couldn't ride a bicycle or go outside to exercise. I wasn't an indoors person! I was outside most of my time in the backyard, catching grasshoppers, getting pointy stickers into my jeans and into my skin, and I don't think I need permission to go outside to ride a bicycle! I was an explorer and when I came out of my own world, they had four other rules I didn't even listen to and didn't care for either. All I cared for was riding my bicycle and when I found it, I was going to go outside and race away from this place as fast as I could pedal into town and get a taxi to go back home.

I hadn't even gotten dressed yet and waited for them to leave. But none of them left. It was obvious, wasn't it? I didn't want to get dressed with men in here and the door open. I shook Orion's arms off me and went to the closet. I opened the closet to find some of my clothes hung on plastic hangers. I took out a pink-purple shirt and blue jeans and looked at them.

"Dani's room. She wants us out for now." Orion said, finally catching my drift.

_"Duh!" _I thought. I didn't need help getting dressed or anything. I didn't even need help taking a shower. I walked over to the dresser and pulled out my undergarments. Then I made my way to the bathroom to take a shower.

-0-

Regular POV

Optimus and Ratchet walked up the hall toward the main computer room. They made sure that Dani's room was closer to the computer room. Dani's room was the only room they had 'bugged' to keep an optic on her. Dani didn't know what Ratchet's and Optimus' true form was. She only knew the Decepticons' true form and to her they were monsters. If she saw their true forms, what would she think? Would she think they were monsters, too?

Optimus and Ratchet's Holoforms had disappeared shortly after they left Dani's room. "When are we going to tell her that we're autonomous beings from the planet Cybertron?"

"When the time's right, old friend. She's much worse than what her father said before he was killed?"

"How come you didn't tell her that her father was killed by Barricade?"

"Would you break her heart, old friend? She will find out on her own when we move all of her belongings to this base. When that time comes, I'm sure she'll learn that we're her family now."

"That's cruelty, Optimus. You know it! You're not thinking of keeping her against her will?"

"Freedom is her right." Optimus said. "But freedom comes at a price."

"What price is that, Optimus? I think we just caused her more grief by restricting her times to be a child." Ratchet asked.

Optimus and Ratchet stopped in the middle of the hall. "What are you implying? Her father entrusted us with her safety. I would be going back on my word to keep his daughter safe. The Decepticon's will stop at nothing to get to her. She's safe and sound here."

"I know, Optimus. I'm not questioning your leadership skills or what you're trying to do to keep her safe. But what I'm trying to say is she's still an Earth child. Fourteen is still a minor. She's a minor until she reaches eighteen. Then after that, she'll be a young adult and on her own."

"She'll be stuck here for life." And that's when they heard a gasp.

-0-

Dani's POV

I finished dressing and decided to explore on my own. I saw the metal hallway and being curious, I set out to explore. I heard Optimus and Ratchet talking up the hall. I paused at what I saw. They looked like their cars. One was bigger than the other. I guess the bigger one happened to be Optimus since the obvious signs were the flames. The other one had the words 'Search and Rescue' on his back.

"She'll be stuck here for life." Optimus said. And both stopped when they heard a gasp from her.

I backed away from them, noticing they had blue eyes instead of red ones. I put my hands on my ears at first as if to have another 'fit', but then I stopped myself. I froze and looked at them more. The first thing out of my mouth is: "You're like the red eyed ones."

Optimus looked down at me and bent down. "What's different about me?" He asked gently.

"Your eyes. They're blue."

"Yes. What else?"

"If you were the bad guys, you'd be chasing me, right?"

"Yes. What else?"

I thought about it and saw the symbol. "You've got a friendly face symbol like on the computer. So that makes you the good guys." I answered and then struggled to keep my hands still. "Keep me here for the rest of my life?"

Optimus vented air through his intakes. "How much did you hear of our disagreement?"

"Enough to know that I wouldn't be here if my Dad wasn't dead...Did I really call my Dad?" I choked out.

Optimus shook his head. "No. We intercepted your call and told you to go to the safe room."

I hugged myself. "I should have ran away! No person in their right mind would go into a messed up house."

"You didn't mess up." Optimus said.

"I did." I said. "Dad used to tell me if the door was-never mind. The door wasn't even open and I didn't see any windows broken."

"Which gave you illusion that nothing was wrong until you were already in the house, right?"

"Illusion? The house was a mess when I opened the door."

"Yes? And your point is?" Ratchet interjected.

"My point is: When I walked into the house, I locked the door. How did you get in without a key? You guys are so big, you'd smash into the house."

"We can project holoforms into places that are smaller than our bodies. It makes it easier for us to move around small human sized spaces. We don't have to have keys to go into a structure."

"But I felt your body and your hands."

"Holoforms are realistic enough." Ratchet said. "Our scientist does all kinds of inventions and made these holoform projectors."

"Does everyone have one?"

"Yes."

I looked around before saying, "Can you make me one?"

Ratchet laughed...and Optimus gave him an icy glare. "What would you need one for?"

I frowned and said, "I'm not a stupid fourteen year old, you know! I do pay attention to science fiction. If your scientist is able to make one for you, what about making one of me?"

"For what reason?" Optimus asked.

"To deceive the Decepticons. If they can deceive me in my own house, then so can I."

"Sounds like a good plan, but we're at a disadvantage with holoforms."

"What is it?" I asked.

"They're short range."

"Well, maybe you need adjustments to make them long range."

"What do you know about making adjustments?"

"I'm mechanical. I can put things together like desks and other furniture. When I was younger, Dad gave me a 'robot' set to put together complete with all the wires. I built the robot, hooked up his wires, and then turned him on. He worked. After that, I took the robot apart..."

"That has to hurt." Ratchet interrupted.

"May be a different kind of robot." Optimus said. "Go on, Dani. What happened when you updated the robot?"

"Well, I gave him a different kind of programming. I gave him programming to become my friend. He never made fun of me and kept me company."

"What happened to your friend?"

I looked down at my feet and rubbed my eyes when I felt my eyes prickling with tears again. "Pierce took him..." I trailed off as I was getting upset.

"Do you have him with you?"

I shook my head. "No. I kept his body in a drawer at my house. Dad said he'd bring me parts from 'Radio Shack', but he never did. He kept forgetting. So now, my friend's dead."

"Did your friend have a name?"

"Yes. I called him Spindle."

"If we retrieve Spindle, I can have our scientist fix him up like before."

I looked up from the metal floor toward Optimus. "You're going to take me home to get Spindle?"

"No."

I furrowed my brows and asked, "Why not?"

"Because it's too dangerous."

Suddenly, a growl was heard and both Optimus and Ratchet looked around for the noise. It was heard again before any of them realized I hadn't eaten any breakfast. Optimus lowered a hand to the ground and said, "Come with me. I'll take you to the mess hall for breakfast."

"I don't like heights."

"You don't?"

"No. I'm afraid I'd fall."

"Don't worry. You won't fall. I'll cup your body."

"No." I backed away from the hand. "Don't like heights."

"We'll get a guard to escort you to the mess hall then." Optimus decided.

-0-

They decided to try some other methods to get me to go to the mess hall. They appointed a guard to escort me to the mess hall. What happened was, the moment he gripped my upper arm, caused me to have a small screaming fit and both Autobots turned in my direction. The guard released my upper arm, looking at me with concern.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No."

"Then why did you scream like that?"

"I don't like it when people touch me."

"Oh! I'm sorry." the guard said. "There's other ways to guide you. Would you like for me lead you to the mess by clasping my hand behind your neck and guiding you that way?"

"No."

"Then what should I do to help you?"

"You lead, I'll follow."

The guard looked at me with a furrow brow. "Now why would I do that?"

"Because it's the only way! Only my Dad, Orion, and Ratchet can touch me."

"All right." the guard said.

It felt strange walking ten paces behind the guard. Eventually, he realized I wasn't keeping up because other things peeked my interest. Of course, the guard didn't realize I had high functioning Autism and wouldn't know what to look for anyway. The guard found me ogling at a couple of fighting Autobots. The guard leaned down to my ear and said, "Never mind them. They're troublemakers."

I jumped and looked at the guard. "So?"

"They're always in trouble with Ironhide and Ratchet. They frequent the Med-Bay because of their antics of pranks and pulling them on unsuspecting people like us." the guard said.

I looked at him and followed him away from the fighting Autobots, "You're such a liar!"

The guard laughed. "Am I?"

"Yes."

I followed him into a large room filled with long tables. There was a small line of people. The guard led me to the line. It was like waiting in line for school breakfast.

When it came to my turn, the lady behind the counter took a plate and plopped some scrambled eggs, a small piece of cut up fruit, and two slices of bacon on it. I looked as she handed it to me. "Thanks." I said shyly. She smiled and nodded, "You're welcome. Have a good breakfast."

The guard showed me where I can get my drink. The drinks weren't exactly where they served everyone. I put my tray down on one of the long tables and looked at the drink selections. There was two kinds of coffee, three kinds of juice, hot chocolate, and milk. I took a glass of milk and went back to my table.

"Dani. I've got to go." the guard said. "My name's Richard. If you ever need anything from me, I'll be out in the main hangar bay."

"Okay." I said, waiting and watching him leave. I didn't know where the main hangar bay was anyway. Was it that big room we were just in?

I dug into my breakfast, thinking of a way to get away from Optimus and Ratchet for the day. Maybe I can convince Richard to do something for me. I decided that must be the right thing to do.

I still needed to get out of base without any of the Autobots knowing about them. I needed to find a way out of the base. I didn't want to stay here and play pretend. I needed things from my house! I needed my jewelry box, my stuff that I was comfortable with, and I knew a few of my clothes aren't going to cut it! My jewelry box held the jewelry from my mother. My mother gave me jewelry for my birthday and what made me feel really happy was a green gemstone shard. It wasn't an emerald. It was a rare gemstone from an underground archaeological site. My mother spent a lot of time on archaeological digs around the world. I rarely went with her because I was too sensitive to changes.

I wiped my mouth on a napkin and drank the rest of my milk. Time to look for Richard.


	6. Chapter 6 Foiled Plans and Lies

Chapter 6 Foiled Plans and Lies

Dani searches for Richard and instead 'bumps' into another member of the Autobot Army. Dani slowly starts to emerge from her shell.

Chapter Six

Dani couldn't find Richard and that made it all frustrating to her! Richard said he'd be right out here. This room was bigger than the hall she had come out of previously.

"What a liar." I mumbled to myself.

I looked around the hangar and saw a dark gray Pontiac Solstice. "Oh! Now that's a car!" The Lamborghini's were cool cars, but that Solstice was neat. I walked slowly toward the Solstice and looked at the license plate. The car shuddered in front of me as I looked at it's rear bumper. "Whoa!" I said, backing up and raising my hands out in front of me.

"Hey, there 'lil lady."

"Oh my God! This one talks too." I said nervously.

"Sure I 'an 'alk, 'lil lady. 'M Jazz."

"Jazz. Like the music?" I asked.

"Yes. 'Hat's 'our name?"

"Um, Dani."

"Well, Dani. Welcome to the base."

"Thanks." I said. I didn't want to make new friends, but I decided to ask him where Richard is. "Um, do you know where Richard's at? He said he was here in this hangar."

"Richard?"

"Yes."

"Oh! 'E's in the main hangar in C section."

C section? There were other hangars, too.

"I 'An take ya there." Jazz offered.

"Thanks. But no. I like walking to places to get my own bearings. I can't live when everyone offer me rides everywhere."

"A' right." Jazz said. "Through that left door."

I looked toward where Jazz said to go and as I was walking toward the door, I heard a gruff voice call my name, "Danielle Evans!"

I froze.

Uh-oh! What did I do now? I was looking for Richard! I slowly turned to Ironhide, who was standing in his robot form. I was feeling a bit intimidated by his size and that he was toting around cannons. I retreated a step, my back pressing against the door.

Suddenly, the door opened and I stumbled outside. I felt two hands steadying me before I could fall. "Oh Primus! Be careful." A voice said from behind me. Turning I saw a spindly like Autobot and my mouth dropped open. The Autobot had silver wires trailing from it's arms and two blue optics, and two legs. He was taller than me and smiled with his denta-plates.

"Hi." he said, waving his hand in front of my face.

I smiled shyly and forced my anxiety down to my feet. "Hi." I said.

He laughed. "Are you all right?"

"I am now. Who are you?"

"I'm Brock. You must be Dani."

I nodded.

"What were you doing against the door? Did you know that if you lean into the door, someone's going to open it and you'll end up sprawled out on the ground?"

I shrugged. "You're here now and broke my fall."

"That I did. But aren't you supposed to be inside?"

"Yes. But Ironhide scares me! He's got these big cannons on his shoulders-"

"I know he does. But you know you'll be glad to have on him on your side. Come on, Dani." Brock took me back into the hangar and Ironhide breathed a sigh from his vents.

"Dani, Optimus wants to speak to you."

"Can he wait?" I asked, hopeful.

"You're willing to ask a Prime to wait?" Brock asked. "When a Prime calls, you go."

"I'm not-his, um, daughter."

"It doesn't matter whether your his daughter or not." Brock told me.

"Well, I'm not in the military as these men are..."

"Quit your stalling and let's go!" Ironhide said in a gruff, commanding tone.

I jumped and I hugged myself to prevent myself from rocking back and forth in place. I was struggling between running to my room or just running to a safe place to hide. I looked up and saw the huge cannon in my face, it's orange energy warm. I stood still, looking up at the cannon. Then I dropped my hands to my side and took a deep breath.

"Are you coming or not?" Ironhide asked in a softer tone.

I shook myself when I realized that the cannon was now pointed away. I nodded and went down the hall I had come out before breakfast. I walked toward the familiar computer room, Ironhide following slowly. He pressed his hand on the button and the door to the computer room opened.

Optimus was seated in the middle of the room, reviewing the computer. It showed all the base and I thought, _"He knew I was attempting to leave? So then he knows what I was going to do."_

"Optimus, sir. I brought Dani here as you requested."

"Thank you, Ironhide. You may go."

I watched as Ironhide left, the door sliding noiselessly shut behind me. I turned my head back to Optimus. "Dani? Did you have a good breakfast?"

"Yes, sir." I said, picking up the title of respect from Ironhide.

"Good." Optimus said, turning in his chair. "Is there something you wish to speak about? You seemed troubled according to Richard."

"Oh. It's probably nothing, sir." I lied.

Optimus drew in air and vented. "Dani." He said. "Do you know I'm a regular lie detector."

"No sir." I said, hoping he wouldn't be angry with me for not telling him about the green stone.

"I do not really tolerate lying and neither does Prowl."

"Um, not to be rude, sir, but who's Prowl?"  
"You don't know who he is?" Optimus asked. "I thought you knew!"

"No sir. You said his name twice, but I don't know who he is."

"He's my second in command because he's tactful."

"So he's like in command when you're not?"

"Yes. When I'm not here or I'm on break, he's in command. However, he's also a member of the security force here. He enforces the rules as I do." Optimus explained. "And he does not tolerate lying either. So I would advise you not to lie to me." He paused before continuing. "Now, is there something you wish to add to our investigation."

I thought, _"Investigation? They're doing an investigation on my family? They're doing it on me?"_

"I don't understand." I finally said.

"We're conducting an investigation and we need all the information you have. You can either help us with our investigation or go to your room."

"What?" I asked. "I just don't get it! What kind of information can I have? I'm only fourteen years old! I told you everything you need to know."

Optimus leaned forward and looked at me in the eyes. "You didn't tell us everything, Dani."

I took a deep breath before I blurted out, "I need to go back home, sir."

Optimus shook his head. "No. We've already faced two Decepticons and we know they're after you. It's too risky for you to go home now."

"I've got to go home!" I argued. "Please! Just let me go home!"

"What's so important at home now? We've got what you need." A tarted response came from another chair. Turning, the black and white robot stood up.

I felt nervous, but I pushed my feelings aside. "It's important! The thing that's important is at home!"

"What would that be?" the black and white robot asked.

"You wouldn't believe me!" I exclaimed. "I've got something there I need to pick up."

Optimus and the black and white robot looked at each other. "Prowl. We might be able to arrange a guardian driver to take her to the house."

"No." Prowl said, looking at me. "No guardian drivers."

"What?" Optimus and I intoned.

"No guardian drivers. I'll take her home on one condition."

"What?"

"No running away."

I looked taken aback and asked, "What? You saw me?"

Prowl looked at me and said, "Yes. I saw what you were trying to do with Brock. When I told Optimus, Optimus told Ironhide to bring you here to thwart you from leaving the base."

I grew embarrassed and looked away. "Why are you turning red? Are you feeling all right, Dani?"

"I'm fine." I grumbled. "I want to leave now!"

"Oh! We're not leaving now. We're leaving when we've coordinated our plan with the others. You aren't going to be left alone that's for sure." Prowl said.

_"I'm not waiting all day for you, so get yourself into gear." _I thought.

"Can I go now?" I asked. "I'm going to go find my room now and wait."

"Yes."

Optimus and Prowl waited until I was out of the computer room.

"Well. Looks like she's really starting to come out of her shell now."

"It seems only to us."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"It's a good thing." Optimus answered. "But there's one thing that Dani's hiding."

"What's that?" Prowl asked.

"She knows something we don't." Optimus said.

"And that is?" Prowl prompted.

"I intend to find out."

"Are you going with us?"

"Yes, but at a distance. Here's what we do..."

Oh! A cliffhanger. Optimus has a plan that's a secret. Full of secrets and I know Optimus isn't usually this secretive, is he? Alien minds and human ones don't think alike.


	7. Chapter 7 Project Yellow Revealed

Chapter 7 Project Yellow Revealed

This story's getting better I hope. Remember when Sunstreaker and Dani were talking about Project: Yellow? I decided that this would be a good chapter to introduce the green stone and Project: Yellow. Project: Yellow has nothing to do with Bumblebee though. Thought I let you know.

Dani finally escapes, but what happens when she's found by none other than favorite, black and yellow Autobot Bumblebee?

Regular POV

Dani found her room and spent most of her time, thinking about Project: Yellow. Project: Yellow was one of those secret things her father barely even revealed to her. As a matter of fact, her father didn't trust her with the assignments he had or the secrets he held.

However, Dani knew about the safe hidden in his study. She saw it, but never knew the combination. Dani tried to think of the time when she was younger and wandered into his study, looking for him. She was about five years old and wanted to show her Dad the macaroni drawing she did in school. This was when Pierce was picked up before her. She had been picked on during recess and lunch.

Dani saw a bunch of files and caught the code names of colors. She was learning the colors in school so when she saw the color, she'd call it out. She even remembered calling out 'Yellow'. She couldn't read the files so nothing mattered until her father came into the room and stopped her. He wasn't angry with her and she said, "Yellow. Blue. Red. Green."

Her father looked at her in amazement. "Baby? Did you just say the colors on these files?"

Dani nodded.

"Ahhh! Good girl! You did it!" he said, hugging and kissing her. Then he looked at her macaroni picture. "Ooooh! What a pretty picture! Is this for me?"

"Yes, Daddy."

Dani remembered her father's love and felt an empty hole in heart widening. Dani stifled her cries until she couldn't hold off her crying. She missed her father too much and no one came into her room to soothe her. She drew her legs up toward her body, letting the tears flow down her cheeks, wiping them every now and then.

After Dani finished crying, she got up and ran some warm water in the sink. She washed her face and looked in the mirror. Her eyes were red from crying and then shook her head.

"Project: Yellow's fault I'm here." She mumbled.

-0-

Dani's POV

"This sucks!" I said, leaving my room and heading down the hall. I decided to see if there was a way out through the mess hall. They always had doorways out of the mess hall especially where the cooks and mess hall staff was. I headed that way, pretending I was heading for a mid-morning snack. I sneaked behind the counter and made sure no one saw me. I went into the kitchen area, pretending to be looking for a piece of jewelry. "Miss? What are you looking for?"

"I went through earlier and my earring dropped somewhere. I'm retracing my steps." I said, trying to sound hysterical. "My Mother gave it to me my last birthday. It's sentimental."

"Let me go see if it's in our lost and found."

"Okay."

I still continued to pretend looking for my earring. When the guy disappeared into the office, I made my move out the door. That was almost too easy! I sneaked away from the building and using the side buildings as a way to get away from the main building.

I saw a drainage pipe and headed for that. I went into the drainage pipe, knowing that it would take me all the way to the end of the bases' road. I ran through it, despite all the water soaking my shoes, socks, and jeans. It didn't matter as long as I was away from it all.

Ten minutes later, I arrived at the end and listened for a moment to slip out of the drainage pipe. I looked around and saw nothing. Perfect. I started walking toward town, but stopped when I heard the gravel crunching behind me. "Oh! This had better be my imagination!" I said, stopping in my tracks. I turned around and saw the yellow Camaro. "Not you!" I exclaimed.

"What are you doing?" Bumblebee asked, his voice a bit scratchy.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked.

"Well. I was heading out into town and- You're not supposed to be out here." Bumblebee said. "What are you doing out here?"

"Well." I said, thoughtfully. "I was looking forward to, um, going-"

"Running away?" Bumblebee asked.

"Shoot. You're going to take me back, aren't you?" I asked in a small voice. I kicked a small stone around with my wet logged shoe. Then I looked down at the ground, trying to keep from crying, but then I couldn't help it. Tears began to fall from my eyes onto my cheeks. "I miss my Dad! All I want to do is go home."

Bumblebee rolled back and transformed into a yellow Autobot. I wasn't really watching him when he transformed. He bent down and used one of his hands to lift up my chin. He gently wiped my cheeks and apologized, "I'm sorry you miss your Dad. I did everything to keep him alive..."

"You mean you had him and-" We both heard an alarm from the base and a siren approaching us. I saw Prowl coming directly to us and I heard the metal on metal clanking, "Oh God no!"

"Prowl? What brings you out here?" Bumblebee asked innocently.

"Dani. What did–" Prowl began to say when he looked closer to see something different about me. I looked away from him. "Are you leaking?"

"No." I lied.

"You are lying. Tell me the truth! Are you leaking?"

"No. I'm not leaking! It's called crying." I said.

"Why are you crying?"

I looked at him. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yes."

"I miss my Dad!"

"Why did you not come to us if you felt sad?"

"I don't know." I said. "I don't express my feelings very well. I know laughter and sadness."

"Dani. The next time you feel like this, come to us. We are not heartless. Let's get you taken care of and out of those dirty clothes. Come on." Prowl said, changing into his alt-form.

I did, but cringed when I realized I was wet from the jeans down to my shoes. "I'm sorry about my jeans and shoes. I'm going to mess your carpets."

"Do you think a little dirt and wetness is going to bother me?"

"Yes."

"I am not Sunstreaker."

I didn't say anything until we drove into the hangar. I stepped out of the car and waited for Prowl to transform into his robot form. Optimus marched out, almost ready to yell at me for disobeying. Prowl spoke to him, explaining what happened.

Richard walked over to me and took me to my room. I took off my shoes, socks, jeans and undergarment in the bathroom. I took a quick shower and emerged newly dressed. Richard sat there on my chair, looking at the gerbils. "Do they ever get out?"

"Yes. Only when I'm here." I said.

"What's their names?"

"Mork and Mindy."

"Mork and Mindy? From the old television show?"

"Yes." I said, lifting the tank's top. "This one's Mork," I pointed to the black and gray gerbil. "This one's Mindy." I pointed to a gray/ silver gerbil.

"Kind of looks like Megatron." Richard pointed out.

"Mega-who?"

"Megatron."

"Who's Megatron?"

"The Decepticons' leader. Have you-No I suppose you haven't heard of him."

"No."

"Did your father ever mention him?"

"No."

Richard stroked his chin and said, "Well, Megatron is after power. He's very greedy..."

"Like those rich people?"

"Dani! No. He's not like that. He's after the power of the All-Spark."

"The All-Spark?" I asked hurriedly.

"Yes. Have you heard of it?"

"I-" The green stone came across my mind. "Would this be about Project: Yellow?"

It was Richard's turn to look baffled. "Well. Yes."

"So the All-Spark is Project: Yellow to my father?"

"No. The All-Spark is the most powerful object in the universe. In the hands of the wrong faction, our world ends."

"That's bad."

"Yes and the Decepticons want to possess the power of the All-Spark because it is said to get the Spark of a deceased Autobot or Decepticon working again."

"These beings are from Outer Space, aren't they?"

Richard looked at me and nodded. "I'm not really at liberty to tell you where because Optimus set certain parameters. They are from another planet."

"I knew it!" I exclaimed. "I've got something at my house. It's important to me. My Mom gave it to me for my birthday gift."

"What is it?"

"A necklace with a green stone."

"Green stone." Richard repeated. "Is it a big stone?"

"Yes. It's like a baby's pinky." I said, describing it.

Richard was silent for while. "Dani. Would you describe it for me?"

"Well, it's dark green, not like an emerald."

"Not like an emerald?"

"No."

"Let's go."

"Where?"

"To Ratchet."

"Oh! I don't like doctors."

"I know, but come with me." Richard said, making sure that the top of the gerbil tank was back on.

We both walked up the hall toward a closed door on the right. He pressed a button and a door opened to an elevator. I almost went rigid. I didn't like riding on elevators or escalators. "No. I don't-can't go in there."

"Dani. It's an elevator." I leaned back into Richard.

"Don't like them."

Richard pushed me into the elevator and pressed a button. The one thing he didn't expect from me was to cover my ears again and cringe as the elevator descended. When the doors opened, I ran out of the elevator and into a wall. "Never again!" I said. "I'm taking the stairs."

Richard looked at me and shook his head. "There's no stairs to the Autobot's hangar."

"Oh! Like the huge room above ground wasn't theirs?"

"They go in there for other reasons. You."

"Ratchet's here?"

"Of course I am! Where will I go?" Ratchet's voice said. Turning, I saw him.

"Now tell him what you told me."

"What?" I shrieked indignantly.

"Tell me what and don't take that tone with me." Ratchet warned.

I looked down at my feet and took a deep breath. "Mom gave me a necklace." I mumbled.

"What necklace? And don't mumble. It sounds mean."

"Yeah sure! A necklace! Mom gave me a necklace with a dark green stone..."

"Where's this stone?" Ratchet asked.

"In my jewelry box."

"In your jewelry box?"

"Yes. In my room-"

"You will remain down here and I'm sending Sunstreaker and Sideswipe back to the house to retrieve your jewelry box. You are not going anywhere."

"What about the safe?"

"We will not need your help with the safe. We will get the documents ourselves. Remain here. The both of you."

"What does the green stone mean?" I asked.

Ratchet turned around and said, "Project: Yellow. The stone is Project Yellow. If the Decepticons have found it, then all they need is you."

"Me?"

"Yes you. Only you can activate it!"

I frowned as he left and looked at Richard.

"Tell me more about these aliens." I inquired.

Richard laughed and we found a couple of chairs. Richard told me about Sam Witwicky and Mikaela Banes and how they met the Autobots, battled Megatron, and then were considered Ambassadors for their race. Richard even told me that they were all Cybertronians.

"Cybertronians verses Cybertronians? Makes no sense! Why fight over power? Why not settle their disagreements peacefully?"

"Because Megatron doesn't give a slag." a new voice said. "Anymore questions about this and I'll tell Prowl and Optimus."

We turned and saw a blue Autobot standing there. "Who are you?"

"Haven't you heard of me?"

"No."

"Well, I'm Jolt."

"Nice name." I said.

"Thanks." he said. "You must be Dani."

"Yes."

"Nice to meet you, Dani. I'll be heading topside now."

"Have a nice patrol, Jolt."

"Will do."

Jolt left in the elevator and I wondered how Richard managed to reach the buttons.

"Is that a human elevator?"

"No. That's a Mech elevator. They made two different kinds of elevators for both of us."

"Oh."  
"So, what do you like to do other than write stories?"

"I read and explore."

"A regular scientist then."

"I guess so." I said, nodding.

Ratchet didn't come back for a long time. When he did, he told me to slip into his hand. I couldn't! Richard convinced me that he was going to slip into his hand and show me that it was nothing to be afraid of especially heights. Richard clasped onto a finger and said, "See. Come on, Dani. Just clasp onto his digit here. He won't mind."

I slowly walked over to Ratchet, watching him carefully as I stepped onto his hand. I clasped my arms around the digit and clung to him. I closed my eyes as the floor left and I felt a swinging motion before I was cupped against a warm chest. I hazarded a look from one of my eyes. Ratchet walked toward his Med-Bay. It was so alien in there that I closed both eyes. I shuddered. Ratchet looked down at me and said, "Dani. It's all right. I'm not going to scan you or do anything medical to you. I'm setting you a room here for the rest of the day. I want to keep my eye on you."

Ratchet set me on a table with a human bed. There were bathroom facilities on the table. "See. We Mech's build places for humans to stay while under medical observation. Don't worry, the bathroom's private." he assured me when I pointed to the door.

I released a sigh. "Okay. Thanks. Have they found it yet?"

"They're looking at this time."

"Okay. Ratchet?"

"Yes, Dani?"

"Can I have something to eat? I'm hungry."

"Sure. I'll get you something from the kitchen."

"Thanks."

Richard sat down in a chair and I sat down on the floor to tell him about the kind of stories I wrote on a daily basis. He listened and all seemed okay now.

Dani's starting to really open up to the Autobots. I know you're wondering when the Decepticons are going to show up in this picture. I have no say so in this story. It has a life of its own now.

Project: Yellow has finally been revealed. Dani's green stone is Project: Yellow and Dani's the only one who can power up the stone. R and R. Oh yes! I'm a very fast uthor! I write, write, write, and don't stop. Guess that's good!


	8. Chapter 8 Dani and Barricade

Chapter Eight

Richard and I were still in Ratchet's Med-Bay. I had stopped telling Richard about my interests. Have you ever had someone that just kept talking about their interests non-stop? Well, I have a hard time knowing this. When Richard got impatient and told me that I had already told him the same thing over and over, I got quiet. Richard and I were just sitting there staring at each other.

"When are they going to come back from their stupid meeting? Ratchet's supposed to bring me something to eat! I'm hungry." I complained.

"I guess they're in a very important meeting."

I got off the bed and wandered over to the edge of the table. "Hey, Richard. Got a telephone wire on here? Or we can make a rope ladder with the sheets on my bed."

"The tables are taller and you'll break your legs."

"You mean I can't use my bed sheets as a rope ladder?"

"No, Dani."

"Well that's just stupid!"

Richard shook his head and said, "Dani Dani Dani. You're restless, aren't you?"

"It bores me when I just sit there and do nothing." I said. There was nothing to keep me busy anyway. I read most of my time, but there were no books or anything. So I decided to yell, "YOO-HOO! Two BORED HUMANS HERE! WANT FOOD AND DRINK HERE IN RATCHET'S MED-BAY! ANYBODY THEREEEE?"

"Dani! Enough!" Richard exclaimed. "Good Lord. You have a good pair of lungs! Hey! When a Con gets you, just yell out like that! Get on their nerves really quick and they may just forget about you."

"'hat's not true." A familiar voice said.

"Jazz! Get me out of here! I'm starving! Bored out of my wits!" I said to him. "Where's Ratchet? Did he send you down here?"

"Primus! Calm yerself." Jazz said, grasping my mid-section and forgetting that I was terrified of heights.

"Oooh! Put me down! No..." Jazz held me close to his chassis.

"There. Is 'hat better now?"

"No! Put me down!"

Jazz ignored me and took me into a different hallway. He opened the door and I saw Optimus, Ratchet, Prowl, Sunstreaker, and Sideswipe sitting there in chairs. I was put onto the table. I saw some other officers sitting around the table and I withdrew into myself a little. A man with short, brown, hair and brown eyes walked over to me. "This is Colonel Lennox, Dani."

He smiled warmly. "Hi. I'm William Lennox, Colonel of NEST."

"NEST?" Dani asked shyly. "Did you know my Dad?"

"I knew him and he worked for NEST on secret projects."

I backed away from him and looked at Ratchet for support. "Dani. We have some questions to ask you. If you don't understand, let us know." Ratchet said.

"Okay?" I said.

"Dani. This stone. Where was it found?" Optimus asked gently, picking up the dark green stone.

"Mom gave it to me."

"Where did she find it?"

"In Egypt." I said.

There were a bunch of arguments between Lennox's men, "Egypt.", "We were there!", "There was nothing there!", "The Fallen planted it!"

"All right! Enough!" Optimus said sharply. "This is not the time or place to have these petty arguments. Dani, where did your mother find this shard?"

"In Egypt."

"No. Where in Egypt?"

"Egypt! In Egypt!"

"Prime. She's confused. Perhaps written." Lennox said. "Listen to me carefully, Dani." He went to grab her and everyone held their breath. I let him grab me and take me over to a bunch of black and white photos. "Where did your mother find this shard?"

I glance down and studied the pictures. Each one was grainy, but I saw a pyramid that looked like it had been going through a serious remodel. I planted my finger on the pyramid. "Triangle shape pyramid." I said.

"All right! The pyramid that the Sun Harvester was hiding in." Lennox said.

"Dani. Did your mother ever tell you if there were other stones like this?"

I shook my head.

"Jazz. Take her topside and watch her like a hawk."

"Yes sir."

I slowly walked toward his hand. I climbed into his hand and curled into a ball. I wanted to cry, but I was dry. I felt his finger digits closing around my body and then Jazz left the room. As we left, I heard Lennox's team arguing over what I had said to them, but once the door slid closed, the hall was silent.

I closed my eyes and took deep calming breaths. I felt the sudden rise going up and then stopping. I felt the swinging motion again and the fingers fell away from my body. I looked momentarily surprised and then sat up. I slid off Jazz's hand and ran toward my room.

Then I stopped and turned around. I ran back toward the kitchen and grabbed a

sandwich. I proceeded to go outside like everyone else. This time, instead of running, I sat down and ate my sandwich.

When half the men and women who had eaten, were gone. It was then, I decided to try to leave again. This time, I wasn't going to stick around for Bumblebee to come get me. This time, I sneaked into a small delivery truck.

I huddled between boxes and waited for the delivery truck to take me to town. I didn't have a long wait before the truck stopped and the back door opened.

"Hey! John. I need to speak to you for a minute." A man said. "In my office."

I listened to them talk and then hopped out of the truck. I ran away, toward a crowded diner and asked for a telephone to call my Mom. The waitress handed me a phone. I dialed my Mom's cell phone number. The number rang, but I got the cell phone company's answering service, "We're sorry. The cell phone user is no longer with us. Please try a different number."

I tried the same number and received the same message. I hung up the phone and looked at the waitress. "Uh. Do you have a phone book?"

"Yes. Are you lost?"

"No. I just need to call a taxi."

"Taxi?" the waitress asked, suspicious. "Are you sure you aren't lost? I can call the police if you are."

The waitress was nice and I said, not really telling the truth, "My Mom. I'm trying to reach my Mom. I was on a bus and wound up in the wrong county."

The phone rang and she picked up, "Thank you for calling 'Waffle House'. This is Angie speaking...Who?" She asked, cradling the mouthpiece in her hand. "Is your name Danielle Evans?"

"Yes."

"There's someone on the line for you."

I looked at her and reached out for the receiver. I put it up to my ear and slowly asked, "Hello?"

"Danielle Evans! Where the Slag are you! We've been looking all over for you!" Sunstreaker's angry voice asked.

I waved the waitress away and she walked away. "I'm not coming back. You've got what you need." I said in a low tone.

"Where are you? I'm coming and when I come to get you! You had better have a better explanation."

"If you find me!" I retorted. "I told you! You already got what you need! I'm not coming back!" I hung up and ran out of the diner, finding a tip on one of the tables. I apologized and ran out of the diner. I saw a bunch of people boarding a bus. I hustled onto the bus and paid the fare. I sat in the back of the bus where no Autobot could see me. That was fine! I wasn't going to be traced! I looked hastily through my pockets to make sure there were no tracking devices. None whatsoever. I breathed a sigh of relief and settled my nerves.

The bus ride was a fast one. The driver picked up people, let them off, and when I felt safe enough to leave, I did. This time walking down the sidewalk. I looked at the tip money I had took. I had enough for a sandwich and drink. I wasn't that hungry and I kept feeling like someone was watching me. I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, looking at the parked cars. There was nothing out of the ordinary with the parked cars.

I saw a woman pushing a stroller down the sidewalk. "Excuse me?" I asked. "Where am I?"

The woman pushing the stroller turned and looked at me with concern in her eyes. "Are you lost?"

"Yes."

"You're in Knoxville, on the corner of fifth and main."

"Knoxville? Is that close to Greenville South Carolina?"

"Oh! Honey! You're no longer near Greenville, South Carolina. You're in Tennessee, now. Where are you from?"

"Simpsonville, South Carolina." I said.

"Oh dear!" the woman said. "Stay right here. I'm calling the police. You were kidnapped, weren't you?"

Would being taken to an underground base somewhere be considered kidnapping especially if you went voluntarily? I wasn't sure what to do now.

"Yes. She's right here with me. No...I won't let her leave...I'm a mother...fifth and main. Yes...I'll stay with her until an officer arrives."  
"They're sending an officer."

I wasn't sure whether or not to run away from the woman. I was already feeling confused and it was getting harder for me to think.

"Are you all right dear?" the woman asked.

I nodded. "I'm okay." I said slowly.

"Let's sit down here. Would you like to see my baby?"

I nodded and followed her to a bench. Sitting down, she turned the stroller to us. "This is Dennis. Say hello, to?"

"Dani." I introduced.

Dennis was a cute toddler with blue eyes and a mop of brown, curly hair. The woman took Dennis out of the stroller and said, "Dennis is two years old. He's such a wonderful baby-"

I saw a cop car pull into a parking spot, it's lights flashing as the cop walked over to the woman and me. The cop was familiar to me and I remembered seeing him sticking up for me against Pierce. "Hey! You're that cop that stuck up for me after school!" I piped. What was he doing here?

The woman looked up at him in shock, but dismissed my attempts to get her to listen to me. She

continued, "It's great to know that there's still resource officers in schools. My oldest child likes the school resource officer and talks to him all the time."

"I should be reporting back to the station, but I need to help this little lady get back to her home."

"Okay, officer. Thanks for coming."

The officer led me to the cruiser, but I shrugged out of his grip. "No touching." I said. "Please! Don't like touches."

The officer snorted, something I haven't heard him do. I looked at his symbol, noticing a bird-like insignia. I began to feel something happen in my brain and then stopped as the backseat door opened. I froze and held my breath. Suddenly, my mind went foggy and everything blurred. I felt a hand on my shoulder...I slammed into the cop's stomach and ran out of his grip. I heard a screech from in front of me.

"DANI!" The woman yelled out as I took off running down the road as the cop ran after me.

-0-

Barricade's POV

She found out! Someone had told her the difference between good and bad. I closed my door and drove after her, my tint coming over my windows. I chased her and couldn't believe how fast she was.

-0-

Regular POV

Dani pumped her legs and felt new energy flooding into her body overriding the tiredness she was starting to feel. Dani heard a screech of tires behind her and ran down what she thought was another road, but turned out to be an alley with no way out. Dani looked at the oncoming cruiser, heading toward her at a fast pace. She cowered as the cruiser slowed down and transformed into its bipedal mode. Dani saw a bunch of red eyes and claws.

"Where is it?" the Robot growled.

Dani couldn't speak! She froze and held her ears. Clinching her eyes shut, mumbling, "Nonononono." Dani heard metal upon metal clanking. Dani didn't move from her spot and the car said, "Get in Fleshling!"

Dani opened her eyes and saw the cop car there instead of the metal beast. She shook her head rapidly. "Nonononono! Nonononono!"

-0-

Dani's POV

Shaking my head was giving me a headache. I needed to get out of there now even if I clutched my head.

"Get in Fleshling! Your vitals are too high!"

I stomped my foot and my hands began to shake...I fell to the ground as my eyes rolled back into my head. Suddenly, I felt someone beside me. My vision blurred and my whole body shuddered. I didn't hear sirens or anything, but I heard a gruff voice. "What the slag happened here?"

Something was put between my teeth and then in a matter of minutes, it was over. I breathed heavily and then felt something between my teeth. I moved slowly to take it out, "Wha' happned?"

"You had a seizure." the gruff voice said. "Have you ever had one of these before?"

"Not for while."

"When?"

"Do no know."

I lay there as my vision cleared. I saw a red robot with red eyes and tried to move, but someone else held me down. "No. Stay where you are."

The cruiser drove up to me and the officer picked me up. I really felt like I had to relieve myself real bad. "Bathroom." I said weakly.

"We'll go to the bathroom as soon as you're well aware of your surroundings." the radio said in a gruff voice.  
"No! Now!" I demanded. "Please?" I added in a softer tone.

The man looked at me and drove up to a gas station. He pulled into a parking space and helped me out of the car. The man even helped me to the bathroom and I gently pushed him out. "Can do it myself, thank you."

I felt nauseous, tired, and confused. I looked into the mirror as I washed my hands. I looked different. I had black circles under my eyes and I was paler than usual. I didn't look like this before and wondered if it was because I felt sick to my stomach. I splashed some cool water on my face and still felt lousy. I felt I wanted to sleep than go with the gruff spoken officer. I heard a faint knock on the door and told them, "Someone in here."

"I know you're in there! I can scan you. Are you ready to go?"

"Min-ute."

"What are you doing in there?"

"Wash face."

"Hurry up! We've got to head back to your house."

I unlocked the door and walked out. I appreciated the man's help. "Wha's your name?" I asked, once I had settled into the front passenger seat.

"Barricade." the man said.

"Feel tired now. Sleep?"

"Yes."

I closed my eyes, listening to the deep growl from the engine and then a rev. Then Barricade sped out of the gas station and onto the high way. I listened to the constant hum of the engine and fell asleep.


	9. Chapter 9 Rescued

Chapter 9 Rescued

::Internal Comm.::

A new chapter! WOW! Little robot and then battle scene. Wonder if the robot's really friendly or he is one of Dani's little friends. :)

Warning: I borrowed Bumblebee's idea of launching projectiles from weapons on his Alt-Mode to Sunstreaker. I got this strange idea that if Bumblebee can change his form around to fire weapons like a 'walking', driving down the road, weapon, why not Sunstreaker or all of them? I hope you enjoy!

Regular POV

Dani heard something speaking in a different language and opened her eyes. She was no longer sleeping in the front passenger seat. Instead, she was lying in the backseat of the police cruiser. Dani knew it was a police cruiser because there was a computer in the front seat.

Dani saw this crazy looking robot, but found herself uncomfortable and wanted to avoid any kind of confrontation. Abruptly, the robot that had been chittering non-stop turned to her and looked at her with it's red fiery optics. It said something and Barricade said, "Glad you could join us, fleshling."

I rubbed my head and sat up. "What happened?" She asked.

"As if you did not know, I saved you from biting your tongue and all you can say is 'What happened'?"

"Thank you?" She asked. "For doing that."

"Well. Do not do that again. I do not really care whether you live or die, Danielle Evans. Now, tell me and do not lie. Where is the green shard?" Barricade asked.

Dani rubbed the back of her neck. "You went through my house?"

"Yes, Fleshling. I went through your house. Now where is it?"

"Wait! You were the guy who went through my house and got me caught up in this mess?"

"Correction: I am not the guy who went through the house and tore up your belongings. That was my partner, Frenzy."

"Frenzy?"

"Yes. That little 'Con sitting up in the front seat."

-0-

Dani's POV

I saw the little 'Con staring at me and chittered what seemed to be a nasty response. I didn't understand what he was saying. "You know what Frenzy? I don't understand a slaggin' word you say."

I heard a deep growl from the engine compartment. "Picking up Cybertronian words already. You must be a fast learner or just plain stupid." Barricade growled.

"Oh I know stupid!" I said. "I'm not stupid, but Pierce Antony is!"

"Do shut up." Barricade said, turning right and heading on a dirt road.

I don't know how long Barricade drove before he stopped. I saw an old barn, two huge forms with glowing red eyes. I shrank into the seat as I saw their optics glaring into Barricade's backseat.

"I got the girl." Barricade said.

"Good job, Barricade. Now give the pest to us and we will take care of the pest ourselves."

"But it is going to cost you."

"What?"

"Do you honestly think that I will hand over the Fleshling over to you? Megatron wants this girl in one piece."

I choked on my own saliva and tried to stop as I heard the two laughing.

"Do you think Megatron will mind it being damaged?" Barricade snarled. "I think not!"

Barricade's engine growled menacingly and backed away from the two 'Cons. Both 'Cons walked over Barricade and loomed threateningly over the car.

I looked up and tried to make myself smaller, but the belt latched around me quicker than I had anticipated. I stifled a scream as I heard a loud angry rev from the front of the car. Barricade put the gear shift in reverse and backed up until he emerged onto the pavement. Turning the wheel a hard right, he raced away from the 'Cons who began to chase him.

"Dani?"

"Yes?" I squeaked.

"Hold on."

The two 'Cons chased Barricade until he merged onto the highway. They were speeding up the highway, passing the trucks and few cars. Barricade put on an extra burst of speed until he careened into the wall. Barricade made sure to keep the doors locked and Dani within her restraints.

Barricade watched as both 'Cons transformed and Dani's eyes widened in shock.

"MOVE! BARRICADE! MOVE!" I screamed, struggling to get out of the seatbelt, but I couldn't. I watched in horror as the car was kicked the car across the pavement and crashed into the easement.

Suddenly, I heard screeching of tires on the pavement and then a tell tale sign of some 'Bot or 'Con undergoing a massive transformation!

"IDIOTS!" A booming voice yelled. "Soundwave! Retrieve the girl and have Barricade sent to Hook!"

"Soundwave: Acknowledges."

I screamed when the door popped open and I went 'flying into the air'. Soundwave caught me before I could hit the ground. He cradled my body and scanned me. I looked into his optics with a sign of despair, but I couldn't see his mouth because he had his battle mask over his. I was feeling nauseous again.

"Megatron. This girl had seizure activity in her brain."

"What?" Megatron spat. "What did you do to the insect, Barricade?"

"Nothing." I said weakly. "He saved my life, sir." I added 'sir' so that he knew I wasn't being disrespectful.

"How, insect?"

"By keeping me still and keeping me from biting my tongue." I answered.

"Are you useful?"

"As useful as I can be, sir." I said. "But I'm not like other people."

"How is that so?"

"Have you ever had an Autistic person in your clutches?" I asked, sitting up. "I have Asperger's Syndrome, but I'm not text-book."

Megatron loomed over me and said, "Soundwave. When Barricade comes around, this insect is to go back to him."

"Not to be disrespectful, sir, but I have a name. I'd appreciate it if you used my name. I can't see myself being called, "Here, Insect.", or "Come, Insect." My name's Dani."

"Human: Inferior, Decepticons: Superior."

"I didn't insult you! You don't insult me."

"Argument: Inadvisable."

"Why do you talk like that?" I asked. "Why do you sound so monotone?"

"Human not to talk unless spoken to."

"Or else?" I prompted. "What are you going to do to me? Hurt me?"

"Human needs to learn who is superior. Silence!"

I crossed my arms across my chest and puffed out my chest. "Decepticons: Inferior. Humans: Superior." I said. "We were here first so we're the superior beings."

I heard a chuckle from someone in front of Soundwave. "You think you were here first?" Megatron asked, turning around to look at me.

"My ancestors. Not me personally."

Megatron shook his head. "You say your ancestors were here first? Well, Dani, I think you are sorely mistaken. We were."

"If you were here first, was there dinosaurs on the planet?" I asked sweetly.

Megatron didn't answer as his processor tried to ascertain the truth behind Dani's words. Megatron growled and turned away.

"I win!" I said. "Decepticons zero, Dani One."

Megatron walked into this huge warehouse and disappeared. Soundwave was quiet and then I had the urge to say, "So, what's for dinner?" I asked. Soundwave looked at me, but still didn't reply. Instead, he put me into a clear container and left. "Great! Just great!" I mumbled, sitting down and thinking of how to get food.

I knew I shouldn't have worried about food because 'Monotone Robot' returned with a small bag of something. He dropped the bag next to me and said, "Human: Eat."

"Riiiight!" I said taking the bag and looking into the bag. I saw a cold cheeseburger and french fries. I disregarded the french fries since they were a bit soggy. So was the cheeseburger. I smelled it and asked, "Eww! You expect me to eat this? How long have you had this?"

"Human: Eat. No questions asked."

"It's not my tastes. Did you know that I can't eat pickles? I'm allergic to cucumbers, tomatoes, and soggy french fries. Eww! I'm not eating it! You can't make me!" I said vehemently.

"Human: Eat. Will not repeat command."

I looked at him and then threw the cheeseburger and soggy fries at him. I didn't care about his punishment either. It all splattered against the glass container and left streaks. "You eat this! I'm not!" I told him and turned my back away from him. That meant that I was done talking about the food issue. I didn't get to think before I was picked up in Soundwave's hand. "Where are you taking me?" I asked angrily.

"Refusal to eat: Harmful. Soundwave: Taking you to Hook."

"Oh please!" I said. "Don't take me to Hook! He'll probably hook me up to the rafters and leave me! Just take me out to dinner! I'll eat anything except that awful cheeseburger and french fries! I'll do anything." I begged. But my plea fell on deaf ears and my first visit to Hook was like getting poked and prodded by small needles.

He looked at me and said, "I do not see anything that is wrong with the Insect, Soundwave. You say she's refusing her dinner?"

"Affirmative."

"Well, there's only one thing I can say." Hook said irritably. "Take her out to eat or I can give her liquid nutrition and I know she won't like that!"

"No! No needles."

"Well, then you eat what's given to you! Is that understood, Insect."

I scoffed. "Fine! I'll eat anything but that cheeseburger and soggy french fries."

Soundwave grasped me and took me back to his quarters. He set me into that clear container and returned with something else. Someone had cleaned the cage clean and for that I was grateful. Soundwave watched me eat. When I finished, I sat there, looking around for something to read, but the cage was completely empty. That's when I began to rock back and forth while I thought of how to get out of this cage without hurting myself. Now I began to wish I had listened to Sunstreaker.

-0-

The Autobots wasted no time getting to Greenville South Carolina. Optimus was flanked by Ironhide. Ironhide flanked by Ratchet. Ratchet flanked by Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Bumblebee, Jolt, Prowl, and Jazz.

Mirage had been stationed in Greenville to monitor the recent Decepticon activities there. Mirage was the one who trailed behind Barricade and tracked them. The one thing that he least expected was Barricade taking a beating from two unknown 'Cons with a human sitting in his backseat. The girl was shaken and was talking to the 'Cons. Mirage saw them head into an old warehouse and gave Optimus the coordinates to the warehouse.

They all met Mirage a couple of miles away from the warehouse. "How many 'Cons?"

"Barricade, Megatron, Hook, and Soundwave. No Knock Out. I don't know if he's scouting around or performing a human food mission. They've got two nameless ones guarding the warehouse."

"Okay. Do you think you can go invisible and rescue Dani?" Optimus asked.

"Yes." Mirage said. "But whatever we've got to do, we've got to do it fast."

"Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, when Mirage arrives with Dani, you take her out of here. We will handle the rest."

-0-

Regular POV

"'We will handle the rest'." Mirage replayed the message. It was unusual request especially that of a Prime. He drove to the side of the warehouse, silently. He scoped out an easy way into the warehouse, becoming invisible, and telling Sunstreaker where they should meet when he retrieved Dani.

-0-

Sunstreaker drove up to the rendezvous spot and behind him, Sideswipe parked beside him. They were blocking the road and waiting for Dani. Sunstreaker kept saying, "When I get her to base, I'm going to ground her! Punish her! Do something to make her remember never to run away!"

"Sunny!"

"Don't call me that!" Sunstreaker hissed.

"Listen, she's a child! She doesn't know any better!"

"Running away! She's fourteen years old! She should know better!"

"Perhaps you're not realizing that the child is youthful. She acts immature because that is what they do! Every teenager on this planet is immature."

"Well, I'm going to teach her to that I am not going to tolerate her behavior."

"Not your place to discipline the child."

"Primes job?"

"No. Ironhide. Maybe Prowl. As much as-shush a minute."

They heard something on the side of the road and a small robot appeared. It looked at them with it's white optics.

"Oh Slag." Sunstreaker said.

"Wait a second." Sideswipe said.

Sideswipe scanned the robot and saw that it wasn't any of Soundwave's cassettes. "It's not a 'Con."

"What is it, then?"

"I don't know." Sideswipe said. "But I think I'll force it into stasis and have Wheeljack take a look. Maybe he can find out what it is."

Sideswipe hacked into the robot's systems and shut him down. Driving over to the small robot, he used a holoform to get the robot. Suddenly, a huge explosion came from the warehouse. "That little slagger!" he heard Sunstreaker. "That thing's a spy!"

"That's impossible. I didn't detect anything from this little guy."

"Then why was it in the danger zone?" Sunstreaker growled.

"Don't ask me. Maybe it followed Dani."

::Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, get ready for some escaping 'Cons heading in your area.:: Optimus sent out.

Sideswipe pocketed the robot into subspace.

They didn't have long to wait before a 'Con was seen heading directly to them. Sunstreaker drove forward, blocking any escape attempt. The 'Con sped forward.

Sunstreaker's body converted into a moving weapon. His gun appeared on top of his roof, side, and began firing white lasers at the 'Con who began spitting out sparks all over the place. The 'Con went careening into a tree and Sunstreaker kept firing his weapons at the 'Con even if the 'Con was off-line.

"Sunstreaker! Enough! I think he's off-line already! What has gotten into you?" Sideswipe said.

"They kidnapped Dani! This slagger's going to pay!"

"Forget him! We still have to wait for Dani."

::Sideswipe? Did you get him?::

::Sunstreaker did.::

::Good job. Move further down the road.::

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe left the off-lined 'Con. They neared the warehouse and noticed one of the guards was missing. They must have off-lined one of them. But there was one that was standing guard. Another explosion happened behind the guard, throwing him off his pedes. Sunstreaker saw Mirage holding a cage in his hand and an arm cannon in the other. His arm cannon lit up and shot the guard 'Con in the chest, flying backwards into a tree. The fallen 'Con struggled to get back up and-Mirage aimed a null-ray straight into the chest of the fallen 'Con. The 'Con flew again, hitting the road this time, he struggled to get up as Mirage spun around as more 'Cons began running toward him.

Suddenly, Optimus appeared, crashing into the building and sending bricks and mortar all over the place. Mirage ran out of the warehouse, taking Dani out of her cage and setting her into his form. He drove out of the warehouse at high speed, shooting straight for the fallen 'Con. Mirage's cannon appeared on the side of the car, shooting white and blue laser shots at the 'Con.

Mirage didn't wait for Optimus or Ironhide. Instead, he barreled toward Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. "Let's lock and load!" He yelled to the Twins.

"How's Dani?"

"She's fine! Don't ask about her yet! Just focus on the battle!" Mirage yelled.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe spun around and faced the 'Con.

"Get down, Dani!" Mirage ordered Dani.

Dani put her head between her legs and felt the seatbelt restraining her body as Mirage slammed on his brakes and spun around. Dani let out a soft cry and felt the car speeding forward.

The three of them sped forward to engage the 'Con. The 'Con opened fire, but the three of them dodged the rounds. The 'Con transformed into it's bipedal form. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe met the 'Con straight on.

Mirage slammed on his brakes and said, "Dani! When I tell you, you run and don't stop!"

"What!" Dani shrieked.

"Just run!" Mirage said, opening the door and Dani looked at the 'Con and Sunstreaker. "RUN!" Mirage yelled.

Dani ran to the right, heading back toward the smoldering flames of Optimus and Ironhide's warehouse. "Oh Slag! Not that way!"

::Optimus! Get here real quick! We've got Dani heading to ground zero.:: Mirage said.

::I'll intercept her, Mirage. Optimus is pretty busy at the time.::

::Megadork?::

::Yes.::

Dani didn't care where she ran as long as it was toward Optimus and Ironhide. They had the bigger guns, but she couldn't almost quite run properly. Her legs were rubbery, shaky, and she was trembling. She was also trying not to cry, but she wasn't paying attention and bumped into a large foot. She fell to the ground. Looking up, she saw Ratchet's headlights pointing down at her. She shielded her eyes. Ratchet's headlights dimmed and so did his optics.

::Found her.::

Ratchet bent down and grabbed her before she could complain. Holding Dani across his chassis, he surveyed the area to make sure there were no 'Cons following her. He made his way toward the fight with Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, and Mirage.

Ratchet looked at Dani before engaging his buzz saw. He sneaked behind the 'Con...covered Dani with his whole hand so nothing hurt her like leaking Energon. Ratchet's buzz saw sliced through an Energon line and Dani heard a scream. Dani froze, but saw nothing but black. Then the fight went silent.

"Minimal damage. I will bang out those dents when we get back to base."

"Where's Dani?"

"In my hand." Ratchet said, gently moving his hand toward Sunstreaker. Opening his palm, Dani lay curled into a ball, shaking like a leaf. "A bit shaken up, but otherwise no internal injuries, bruises, perfectly healthy."

Sunstreaker looked at Dani and breathed a sigh of relief. Dani uncurled from her ball and looked up at Sunstreaker. Sunstreaker's optics suddenly hardened and then picked her up. "DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED SICK I'VE BEEN?" Sunstreaker yelled.

Dani was in shock from all that had happened around her and she couldn't answer that question. Instead, she lay down in his hand, curled in a ball, an eye looking up at him in fear. She wasn't happy, exhilarated, or even relieved to see him. She was scared stiff and his anger didn't help any.

"Sunstreaker! She's in shock-" Sideswipe said.

"Shock! SHE'S IN SHOCK! IT'S HER FAULT THAT SHE'S IN SHOCK..."

"Enough!" Ratchet said grumpily. "Let's just get her back to base and then we'll sort through all this."

Sunstreaker transformed into his alt-mode, carefully dropping Dani into his passenger seat. He reclined the seat so Dani would be comfortable. Dani's eyes were wide and she never even noticed that Optimus, Ironhide, and the rest of the team had began emerging from the warehouse to follow them back to Tennessee.

Sunstreaker noticed right away, that Dani showed signs of something else. She had seizure activity in her brain again.

::Ratchet? Are you sure that Dani is all right?::

::Yes. Why?::

::Her brain is showing seizure activity.::

::Seizure activity?::

::Yes. She might have had a seizure with the Decepticons.::

::One more health concern we have to watch?::

::The only time she had a seizure is when she was nine years old. Keep an optic sensor on her.::

::All right.::


	10. Chapter 10 Lectures and Sad News

Chapter 10 Lectures and Sad News

Dani's back at the Autobot base, but Dani isn't getting away with anything!

There's some angst in this chapter because Dani found out that not only her Father worked for NEST, so did her Mother. What happens when she finds this out? Does she trust Optimus more than before since she's been rescued or does she fear him?

AN: This might be a tear jerker to some of you and for that, hold a tissue in your hands when reading this.

Chapter Ten

Tennessee

Dani listened to lecture after lecture from Sunstreaker. Instead of using his holoform, he took her to his personal quarters and gave her the biggest lecture. Dani couldn't sneak out of his quarters either. After awhile, Dani yelled back at him to leave her alone and let her go to her own room. Sunstreaker glared at Dani and pointed to her new room in his quarters.

"Oh no! I'm not bunking with you!" Dani said. "I'm entitled to have my own room!"

-0-

Dani's POV

"Oh no! I'm not bunking with you!" I said. "I'm entitled to have my own room!"

"Is that so?" Sunstreaker said harshly. "When you learn your lesson not to run away, then you can have your own room! From this day forward, you are not doing anything without my supervision or my friends!"

"That's not fair!" I exclaimed.

"You're grounded for a week."

"You can't ground me! You're not my-" I trailed off as tears began to form and prickle my eyelashes. "Dad!" I ran to where he had pointed before and slammed the door closed. I jumped on my bed, hiding my head under my pillow. I sobbed.

I didn't hear the door open and someone walking into my room. I felt someone's hand on my back and taking off the pillow off my head. Sunstreaker's holoform appeared next to me. He gathered me into his arms and I cried my eyes out on his shoulder. "I'm sorry." I croaked. "I didn't mean it."

"Don't worry about it, Dani." Sunstreaker said softly.

-0-

When I finished crying, I took a long shower. It helped a little, but it didn't help the feeling of dread that I was feeling when I had to face Optimus first, then Prowl. Both felt they had to teach me a lesson thoroughly. Sunstreaker dropped me off by Optimus' office.

Sunstreaker put me onto his desk and then left me alone. The Autobot Leader didn't speak about running away yet. Instead, he leaned forward and said, "I've assigned you a guardian which is why your room is now in Sunstreaker's personal quarters. You should consider yourself very, very lucky, Danielle Evans."

I still didn't answer and lowered my head. "I'm deeply disappointed in your actions. Your actions have put yourself and others at risk. This isn't a game! I don't know where you get off thinking this is all a game. It isn't a child's game. This is real life!" Optimus continued. "I'm not giving you any more chances to prove that you can trusted to have your own room. You have already proven to us that you cannot have your own room. When you learn that this is the only place that is your home-"

"It's not my home!" I said, looking up from my shoes to him. "This isn't my home! Will never be my home! I belong with my Mother!"

Optimus vented and drew out a long sigh. He opened a drawer in his desk and withdrew a small robot from his desk. "This was found by Sideswipe and Sunstreaker before your rescue. If I were you, I would listen to it carefully and take heed what it says, Danielle Evans."

I looked at the small robot when it activated. It looked around the office and when it saw me, it opened it's mouthpiece and said, "Danielle Evans?"

"Yes?" I asked.

"I have a message from your Mother. It reads,

"'_Danielle, My Darling Daughter, The Apple of Our Eyes, if you are hearing this, that means something has happened to your father and I. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you while you struggle with Asperger's Syndrome. You mean everything to us and I have given you pieces of jewelry to show you how much I love you._

_"Your father and I were apart of something called, 'NEST'. We tried everything to shield you from all that was happening around you and keep you away from the Decepticons. Your father and I have consented with Optimus Prime, Leader of the Autobots, to become your primary guardian if anything shall befall us. We are so sorry that we couldn't be here to ease your sorrows and remember that we love you so very much._..'."

I stood there for quite sometime, looking at the robot. I waited for the robot do something like self-destruct, but it didn't. "Another note from your Mother before she sent me off, 'T_he Bot here is Sidekick. He is yours._'." I walked over to the bot and it folded up into a cell phone. "Clever." I mumbled, forgetting about Optimus.

"Now you know." Optimus said. "As for your running away, I believe that you've been grounded for a week by Sunstreaker. But I believe further punishment should be in order. You are forbidden to go out anywhere without Sunstreaker or Sideswipe. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir." I was still in shock from hearing my mother's message being replayed by a cell phone.

I thought Optimus was done and I would be sent to my room, but he wasn't done with his reprimand, "You are lucky I don't send you to Colonel Lennox. You're too young for a court martial."

"Court martial?" I echoed. "I'm not in the military! I'm a civilian."

"And what would your government do?" His optics narrowed.

I hadn't thought of that. "I don't know. Lock me up?"

"That is correct. They would drag you to Washington and lock you up for your protection. Would you rather be locked up in Juvenile Hall or here?"

"Juvee is for criminals. I'm not a criminal."

"No. You're a national security risk!"

"What?"

"You are a national security risk."

"How?" I asked.

"You carry the power supply to several different weapons the Decepticons have. The first one is that green stone."

I didn't speak and couldn't tell him about the other stones in there either. "Oh yes, the other stones are also a part of their weapons, too." Optimus said.

My mouth dropped. "What?"

"You heard me. If the 'Cons get all those stones, all the work we've been doing is all for nothing." Optimus said. "If you run away one more time-"

"All right! I'll stay here and be a 'good' little girl!" I interrupted. "I just didn't know if you were serious."

Optimus' fist hit the desk, causing me to fall onto my rump, and then he roared, "_What! I am the Leader of the Autobots and my orders are not to be questioned!_"

I took a couple of crab steps back from his fury and wondered why the desk was shaking. Then I realized the desk wasn't shaking, it was me.

"_When I issue an order, it had better be obeyed!_"

I nodded quickly, trying to appease his anger. I wanted to apologize, but my voice was stuck in my throat. I felt a better relief when Sunstreaker picked me up to take me to Prowl. There was one issue I had trying to tell Sunstreaker, but I still couldn't talk. I wanted to sleep.

-0-

Prowl waited for Sunstreaker and I. I looked around the room before succumbing to a severe Asperger's Moment. It was horrible to me and what I saw were the bars to cells and that was what set me off. I began to rock back and forth. Even when they had taken me out, I wouldn't leave Sunstreakers' hand. I kept mumbling something, eyes filled to brim with tears, and fell asleep.

The next day wasn't so bad, I met up with Ironhide for the last lecture. He stayed with me almost the rest of the day, instructing me about what the Autobots stand for and who they fought. I knew I wasn't paying much attention and he had to snap me out of my thoughts. My thoughts weren't on what he was teaching or telling me. My thoughts were on my Mom and Dad. I looked at Ironhide for a moment, but I averted my eyes quickly. I was distracted throughout the lesson, too. If a person walked by, I'd watch them walk toward another person. If I saw Mirage, I look his way. Ironhide found out that he couldn't teach me if I was distracted this much and dismissed me from his lecture. I thanked him and walked into the kitchen. I took a sandwich and peach over to a table and ate. I felt Ironhide's holoform watching me like a hawk. I did my best trying to ignore his constant surveillance.

After a small lunch, I left the kitchen, keeping far away from Optimus and Prowl. I felt that the trust I had with them was gone. I only trusted four Mechs. I trusted Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Ratchet, and Ironhide. Sunstreaker noticed that I was more 'reserved' then I usually was. He decided to take me to town for something to cheer me up. I had been very 'reserved' and in my 'shy shell' as teachers used to tell my Dad.

"Dani. I wish for you to come with me to town." Sunstreaker said.

I cringed and said, "No. I don't want to."

"Whether you feel like it or not. You aren't going to sit in your room and rock back and forth."

Sunstreaker's holoform grabbed my hand and led me to the hangar. Sunstreaker walked in front of us and transformed into his Alt-Mode. Then I did something I hadn't done before, I stomped on Sunstreaker's holoform feet and ran back toward my old room. I stopped short when I realized I couldn't open the door. I saw Sunstreaker's holoform running toward me and I ran up the hall, not paying any attention to where I was going.

I didn't see Sideswipe until he swooped low and captured me. "Running away again?" He asked.

"Yes! I don't want to go to town!" I said, blushing. "Sunstreaker's trying to make me go with him! I don't! I want to stay in my room."

"Dani. I'm doing this for your own good!" Sunstreaker said.

"Well, if you've got to go to town, I'll keep her busy."

"Fine." Sunstreaker said, strolling back to the hangar.

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Sideswipe."

"You're welcome." When Sunstreaker was out of an ear shot, Sideswipe added, "You know you're the first human that's ever been able to befriend Sunstreaker. No one else has been able to."

"Why?"

"His attitude."

"Oh." I said.

"Do you want to watch a movie?"

"You've got movies?"

"Yes. I've got a collection in my room."

"Am I allowed to watch movies?"

"I don't see why not." Sideswipe said. "You had quite a couple of days."

Poor Dani! Enduring two lectures from Sunstreaker and Optimus. Then Prowl made her see the human brig. Ironhide didn't lecture her, but taught her a few things. Notice that she shies away from Optimus and Prowl, now? Would you be afraid of them if they showed their anger at you and the next few days after that? I suppose so. How would you react to a furious Autobot Leader?


	11. Chapter 11 Scary Movies

In this chapter: Dani watches a movie with Sideswipe which scares her and sends her running to Lennox for help. Why is Dani so torn up and Ironhide's the only Mech who seems to be genuinely concerned with her welfare? Will Dani learn to trust Optimus and Prowl?

Chapter 11

The movie Sideswipe had was horrific and I would wake up with nightmares. I tore out of the room when I saw some guy's arm being sawed off. The Saw Movie. Sideswipe didn't understand and paused the movie.

I ran into the Hangar wildly looking for someone for help. I didn't want Optimus or Prowl thinking I was sneaking away or running away. And I most certainly didn't want any 'Bot to think I was asking for trouble. The door opened and without thinking, I made a dash for it. I went flying straight into a man's arms, claiming, "Scarred for life! Saw a man getting his arm sawed off!" I moaned.

"Calm down, Dani! Who sawed whose arm off?" the man asked, getting all serious.

"I don't know. Some guy..."

"Colonel Lennox! I'm deeply sorry." Sideswipe apologized. "I didn't realize that 'Saw' was a terrifying movie for a fourteen year old."

"You let a fourteen year old child see 'Saw'?"

"I-no comment." Colonel Lennox answered, waving him away. "I'll take care of Danielle's fear."  
"But-"

"Go watch your movie."

"Okay, sir."

Sideswipe gave me one final look and walked back to his room.

Lennox bent down and looked at me in the eyes. "Dani. I'm sorry for his choice of movies."

"It scared me!" I said. "I never really was allowed to watch R rated movies like that. Mom and Dad let me watch 'Aliens' once and whenever I'd watch it, I stopped at certain place for the aliens were introduced."

"So what movies do you like to watch?"

"'Titanic' with Leonardo DiCaprio, 'Gnomeo and Juliet', 'Rango', and 'Star Trek'."

"Those are great movies." Lennox said thoughtfully. "Let me talk with Optimus about something and you tell me what new movies you like to see when I come back, okay?"

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes."

I smiled for the first time, then I smile faded, "I can't go out! Sunstreaker and Optimus won't let me. I'm grounded for a week. They won't let me go anywhere without them."

Lennox seemed to think. "I'll tell you what. I'll speak to Optimus about your punishment."

"Optimus won't let me. He's mad at me."

"Let me talk to him, okay. Why don't you go sit in the library?"

"I don't know where the library is. Where is it?"

"Leave through this door-" Lennox pointed to the door he walked through, then frowned when I put on a face of absolute horror. "Oh! I'm sorry Dani!" He soothed. "I didn't know that you couldn't go outside the Hangar. Why don't you go sit in your room and wait for me?"

"Can't." I said. "I don't think the door will open for me."

"My God! You're having the worst day back, aren't you?"

I nodded.

"I'll be right back. There's always a place for you to sit down while you wait for me."

I walked to the kitchen and sat down at a table. Several soldiers were sitting at a table talking, laughing, and drinking coffee while playing a game. I wondered what they were playing. "Hey Dani!" One of them said.

"Hi. What are you playing?"

"Poker."

I heard Poker and wondered if they were losing valuables. "What kind?"

"Regular Poker. Why do you ask?"

"Because I thought you had to lose valuables."

"Oh! Not that kind of Poker. Have you ever watched, 'Poker Stars'?"

"No." I said. "It's on too late for me to watch."

"That's too bad. Why don't you come over here and watch us play?"

So I dragged a chair and watched them play.

-0-

William Lennox's POV

I found Optimus in his office, watching the screen of Dani learning to play Poker.

"Optimus?" I asked.

Optimus turned around and looked at me with his blue optics. "Greetings, Colonel Lennox. How are you today?" he said formally.

"Hello, Optimus. I need ask you something about Dani."

"All right."

"It's about Danielle's punishment. I know Sunstreaker grounded her for a week, but her Mother and Father just died..."

"And you want to take her out for an outing?"

"Yes."

"Her safety is my concern."

"I understand, Optimus. Annabelle and Sarah's safety matter to me as well. I can understand this because I'm a husband. I worry about their safety when I'm not there." Lennox paused. "Ironhide's a good guardian to Annabelle and helpful when he comes around the house to help us. But this is Dani. This is another little girl who's torn up about her Mother and Father's death." Lennox paused. "Sidekick wouldn't have left Cherry Evans' side if she wasn't mortally wounded. Sidekick wouldn't have traced Dani to the warehouse. If not for Sidekick, she wouldn't have known that both her Mother and Father have died."

"I understand that concern, but Dani is unable to make decisions in her life. She is fourteen. A minor and that makes us her guardians. Her Mother wished this, her Father wished this..."

"But Optimus! She isn't happy!" I argued. "Dani's very unhappy. Don't you see? She's not reacting right! She's reacting fearful of your team except for maybe Sideswipe and Ironhide, or even Ratchet! She's looking for someone to give her comfort! Not lectures or lessons about the Autobots."

"If I have to keep her busy-"

"Optimus. She's just a child." Lennox interrupted. "A child in need of someone to give her love. This is the time she is most vulnerable. Don't you see? You've been watching her like a hawk!"

-0-

Dani's POV.

I dismissed myself from the table and left the kitchen. I didn't know where to go now. Sunstreaker wasn't back yet and Lennox hadn't come back to get me. I was getting upset. One of the men who had been playing Poker. I think his name was Robert Epps. He was dressed in military fatigues and he excused himself from the table. He was walking by me and looked at my face. I turned away from him, trying not to cry. I was holding back my tears even though a few began to leak out from my tightly closed eyes.

"Dani?" He asked worried.

I shook my head and hid my face in my hands. And began making a bad noise like I was trying to stifle my cries.

Epps immediately grabbed my shoulders as I burst out crying. I couldn't stop crying. "There. Let it out! Get me a tissue, man!" Epps ordered to someone behind me.

"Miss my Dad! Miss my Mom!" I sobbed.

"Come this way, Dani!" Epps said, leading me to a table. He continued to comfort me even when I began to brawl my eyes out. He rubbed my back and soothed me. "It's all right."

"They didn't say goodbye t' me." I said, rubbing my eyes furiously.

"It's all right. Let it out!"

I sobbed for about an hour and Epps didn't leave my side. When Lennox had come back, he looked shocked, my head was lying on the table, dried tear stains on both of my cheeks.

"What happened?" Lennox asked.

Epps frowned and asked for one of the men to watch over me.

-0-

Robert Epps POV

"She walked out and I heard a dreadful noise like she was trying to hold off crying. When I walked over to her, she burst out crying. She just stopped not long ago. She misses her Mother and Father."

"She's been holding her grief in all this time?"

"Yes." I nodded.

"I talked to Optimus. He's letting her go."

"To the Funeral?"

"Yes. Under Ironhide and Sunstreaker's supervision."

"Good." Epps said. "It might give Dani the closure she needs."

"Also there's a will, but there's one down fall. She can't use it until she's eighteen. Optimus has it."

"So she's like stuck?" I asked.

"Yes. Let's see if we can get to move from the table before Sunstreaker finds out. I see he hasn't returned yet."

"Not yet. He won't suspect a thing."

"I won't suspect a thing?" Sunstreaker's voice asked as if he had been standing there for a while. "Now! I hope you aren't taking Dani out for a ride without me?"

"No." Lennox said. "I intend to help her with that!" He pointed directly at me. "Her situation."

"What situation? The only situation I see is a Colonel and a Captain trying to sneak our ward off the base without permission."

"I'm not plannin' anything, man. And neither is Colonel Lennox."

"Very well. Dani! Come over here!"

"No, Dani. Stay where you are." Lennox said.

-0-

Dani's POV

I watched as Sunstreaker became very irate all of a sudden and his behavior to my two new friends scared me. I pushed the chair and hid under the table, keeping my dry eyes out on the scene in front of me. "No no no." I said, holding my ears, clenching my eyes closed, and then screaming the last word, "NO!"

All three looked at me from under the table. "No, Dani. This is not the answer." Sunstreaker admonished.

I took off my shoe and threw it at him. It hit him right on his huge leg and he looked angry for a moment before scanning my levels of stress. "You, Lennox, have caused our ward enormous amounts of stress and I have to take her to Ratchet!"

"I did not!" Lennox said.

Epps added, "If you would've been more observant to her behavior, you would've seen how upset she is! Can you not tell that she's been crying for the past hour about her Mother and Father. It isn't because of your punishment! It isn't because you grounded her for a week! She's crying for her Mother and Father!"

An uneasy silence filled the room and for a while, they didn't say anything.

"What the slag is going on here?" Ironhide asked when he saw two humans and Sunstreaker staring at each other in complete silence. Then he saw Dani sitting under the table, shoulders shaking. "Dani. Come here."

I slowly came out from under the table. I kept my eye out on Sunstreaker as I passed by them. I rushed to Ironhide and hid behind his large black foot. Ironhide stepped back and grasped me in the mid-section. He brought me up to optic level and saw the dried tear stains on my cheeks. "Come on. I'm taking you to my quarters to get cleaned up. Then I'm asking Prime to come to my quarters to talk to you."

I shook my head no.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Dani." Ironhide said gently.

He walked a while until he reached a door to his quarters. He put in a code and walked into his large room. Ironhide walked into the kitchen and took a huge bowl out from a cabinet. He set me on the counter beside the sink. "Stay there, Dani. I don't want you to fall in."

I looked at him and backed away when the bowl of warm water was plopped down next to me. He beckoned me to the bowl. I walked gingerly to the bowl and cupped my hands in the bowl. Then I washed my face. Ironhide pulled a small towel out from subspace and handed it to me. "Thank you." I said hoarsely.

"What happened?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. They were arguing over me about crying."

"You were lubricating out of your eyes again?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"Why? Were you injured?"

"No. I miss my Mom and Dad." I said finally.

"Why didn't you get someone or tell someone you were upset?"

"I thought no one cared." I said.

Ironhide looked taken aback. "Why would you think that, Dani? Everything that we've done for you was for your benefit."

"No one else cared whether or not I was picked on for my disability or how slow I was. The only one who really did was my Dad."

"I care for you, Dani. So does Optimus and Sunstreaker. Maybe more than the three of us." Ironhide paused. "Dani! Everyone on this base cares for you! We don't want you to be sad. We want you to be happy and safe."

"How can I be happy if I'm restricted now?"

"Dani. It's just for a week. It's not for life. Oh! You misunderstood Sunstreaker when he grounded you?"

I flushed in embarrassment.

"You thought that you were forbidden to go anywhere for life unless Sunstreaker was there?"

I nodded glumly.

"Primus!" Ironhide vented. "You aren't forbidden to go anywhere for life. It's just for a week. Do you think that Optimus is that cruel? He does get angry, but he means well. He only wants you to learn that running away from home only gets you into trouble."

Comm:

::Optimus? Ironhide here. Would you please come down to my quarters?::

::Yes, my old friend. I will be there momentarily. It seems Dani has sneaked away again.::

::Are you sure about that?::

::Why? Do you know where she is?::

::As a matter of fact, I do.::

::All right. I'm on my way there.::

::Thank you, Optimus.::

Ironhide looked at me and then held out his hand. "Let's go somewhere much more comfortable." I climbed hesitantly on to his hand. I clutched a thumb digit and closed my eyes. I felt the swinging motion and then a hard surface. I looked down to see the table. I slid off onto the table. I heard a knock on the door and Ironhide opening the door. "Prime. So nice of you join us." Ironhide said.

"Us?" Prime asked.

"Yes sir. It seems I have found Dani in a state of distress."

"Where is she?"

"Over here on my work table..."

I froze and ran behind a large cleaning bottle. I hid from Prime.

"Dani? I know you're there." Ironhide said, lifting the cleaning bottle from the surface. "There's nothing to be afraid of here. You know that. But there's something wrong, Prime."

"What is it?"

"Dani misunderstood your punishment. When you told her that she was forbidden to go anywhere without Sunstreaker, she thought it was for life. She thought that she couldn't leave the hangar."

"What?" Prime asked in shock. "I might have been angry and punished her for her actions, but I didn't mean it that way!"

"I know, but she's been having a few bad days." Ironhide said. "I'm good with children, all right? I've got Annabelle with me most of the time, but when I tried teaching Dani about us, she was awfully distracted. Everything around her was a distraction. She was curious about other things. I couldn't keep her attention for long." Ironhide paused. "Then there was one thing that I also noticed about her and it touched my spark: Seeing her upset when she managed a glance at me. I could see something in her eyes. It wasn't a happy glance nor a reverence. She had an air of emotional turmoil. While everyone went about their business, no one noticed that she was a ticking time bomb about to explode. She had been holding her pain back for two days straight. Sunstreaker didn't bother to notice and tried to take her out for an outing. I heard she refused and ran to Sideswipe. Sideswipe thought she was running away again, but found she wasn't running away intentionally. She was running away from Sunstreaker because she didn't feel like going anywhere."

"Okay. What happened?"

"She burst out sobbing. Robert Epps soothed her and then Sunstreaker returned. Both humans and Sunstreaker were in a staring down contest..."

"I know. I stopped them when I heard an urgent message from Mirage."

"Dani? Come over here." Prime said, turning to me.

I slowly walked over to him and wrung my hands as he leaned down and stared me in the eyes. "Why did you not come to me?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"You don't know?"

I shook my head.

"Were you afraid to come to me if you were upset? Why didn't you talk to Sunstreaker?"

"I tried." I said in a low voice. "Sunstreaker thought I was rocking back and forth on my bed. He wanted to take me out on an outing. I didn't want to go with him!"

"Slow down. You're not making any sense, Dani." Ironhide said. "Sunstreaker thought you were rocking back and forth on your bed. He wanted to take you out? Where?"

"To town. I didn't want to go to town! I wanted to stay here because I didn't feel like going anywhere."

"You didn't feel like going anywhere?" Optimus asked. "Did you feel sick?"

"No." I said.

"What were you feeling?"

I looked up at him and said, "Afraid. I didn't want to go to town because you might have to run across country to get me from the Decepticons again."

"Dani? You have nothing to fear when we're around..."

"Yes I do! Two 'Cons kicked Barricade against the wall-"

"And you think they'd do that to us?"

"Yes."

"And now we know because the truth speaks!" Optimus said. "Tell me the truth, Dani. Did you deliberately disobey my orders to stay here?"

Did I all those times disobey him when all I wanted to do was just go home? Maybe I was confused, scared, and upset about this whole thing or maybe I was just curious about going outside and seeing the rest of the base. But why would I attempt that delivery truck escapade? Why? I looked at my shoes, flushing in embarrassment. "Yes." I said in a small voice. "I'm sorry."

I couldn't look both of them in the eye. "Why, Dani? Why would you lie to us?"

"Don't want to talk about it."

"You have to talk about it, Dani. I'm disappointed in you for lying and I want to know why you lied to us, Dani!"

"Because I didn't understand!"

"Understanding the question and lying does not go hand in hand! Tell the truth Dani!"

"I didn't believe you! I thought you were keeping me against my will!" I finally blurted out.

"Why would I keep you against your will? Have I locked you up in your room?" Optimus asked. "Have I?"  
"No, but-"

"No buts, Dani! Have I locked you up in a room?"

"No sir."

"Good! That wasn't so hard, was it?"

I didn't answer.

"Was it?"

"No sir." I said, not really understanding why Optimus was repeating himself sharply to me.

"Then you will do good to remember that I am not to be ever disobeyed again! If I give you an order, you will do what I tell you to do! If I tell you to go to your room, what do you do?" Optimus asked.

I tried-

"Answer me! What do you do if I tell you to go to your room?" He interrupted my thoughts.

"Room." I answered weakly.

"Optimus, old friend, you're scaring her!"

"I am not trying to scare her. I am merely making a point!" Optimus turned to Ironhide. "She is having trouble focusing on my questions."

"Like the lessons I was trying to give her."

"Yes."

Optimus turned back to me. "When I tell you to go to bed, what do you do?"

"Not so fast!" Ironhide said. "I think she only gets half. Try speaking slowly."

"What do you when I tell you to go to bed?"

"Bed?" I questioned.

"You're uncertain?"

"It's an answer, old friend." Ironhide said. "An answer."

"She-"

"Questioned an order or questioned her because she's getting confused again."

"Bed. You go to bed." Optimus said, confirming her question. "She needs more practice. She needs to learn to answer things without distractions. Maybe we could set up some tutoring lessons for her reaction time. Eliminating distractions around her to get lessons."

"Bathroom, please?" I asked softly.

Ironhide held out his hand for me to climb onto and then took me to his friend's apartment. "Go on, use the bathroom, and come back to the door. Understand?"

I nodded and went into the apartment, toward the bathroom, feeling strange now. I was starting to get a headache and feeling dizzy. I didn't want to ignore it either.

Meanwhile, Optimus and Ironhide waited for Dani to emerge from the bathroom.

When Dani didn't emerge yet, they began to worry. Ironhide engaged his holoform and went into the apartment. He knocked on the door to the bathroom. "Dani?"

"I don't feel good." I replied from the bathroom.

"Is the door unlocked?"

"Not locked." I said and Ironhide opened the door.

What he seen, shocked him. "Dani?" He asked in a concerned voice. She was lying propped up against the tub, her mouth bloody. "Optimus! I think you'd better get Ratchet in here, now!" Ironhide called out.

"No." I begged. "I'm okay."

"No you're not!" Ironhide said, rolling up a piece of toilet paper.

"It's okay. I fell, split my lip!"

"Now you listen to me, youngling! Do not attempt to lie to me if you 'just fell and it's nothing'." Ironhide wiped up the blood and saw that it was a split lip. "Tongue!"

I showed him my tongue. "See. Split lip. I'm fine."

Ratchet barged into the room with his holoform and said, "Out of this human sized dwelling." He ordered.

Ironhide picked me up and he walked out into his quarters. Ratchet's robot form towered over me. "Give her to me."

"I'm fine."

"I will decide if you are fine or not!" Ratchet said sharply, holding out his hand for me. Ironhide place me in the center of his palm. Ratchet's optics drifted to me and slender blue light shined from them. I felt tingly feelings all over my body. "She fell. Dani? Did you feel anything? Anything like a headache and dizziness? Lightheaded perhaps?"

"I did have a headache." I told him.

"You did? Why-"

"Never mind, Ironhide." Ratchet said. "Any other symptoms?"

"Dizzy."

"Any other symptoms?"

"Tired. I wanted to sleep."

"Dani. I'm going to run tests on you. I want to you to tell me when you get any more symptoms."

"Okay. Can I sleep now?"

"Not until I'm done with my tests."

"Aww." I said. "Can I close my eyes?"

"No."

"My lip hurts."

"I'll do something about your lip when we get to Med-Bay." Ratchet said.

"Okay. See you later." I said, feeling even more exhausted. "I want to sleep."

"Not yet." Ratchet said. "Talk to you later." He added to Optimus and Ironhide.

He rushed out and I fought against sleep. It was then I kept my focus on Ratchet's Autobot shaped face. "Decepticons are birds." I mused. "Autobots not birds?"

Ratchet looked down at me and chuckled. "What gave you that idea?"

"Their insignia. They have a pointy bird and you, er, guys have a red, gray face." I said.

"Keep talking, Dani."

"Did you know Barricade has one of those pointy faces on his front end? I saw it! He had something weird on his side, fender, whatever you call it. Says to 'Punish and Enslave'. What's that mean?"

"Dani. Decepticons want to take over the universe and as long as the Autobots continue to fight, we'll prevent that from happening." I hadn't noticed that we were in the Med-Bay and Ratchet was keeping my attention from his equipment.

"That's all cool...owww! What was that for? I didn't do anything wrong...wow! What's this stuff? I feel greaat." I thought I sounded like Tony the Tiger. "Could I have some 'Frosted Flakes'? Theyyyy're greeaatt!"

Ratchet chuckled. "Well, of course. When you get better, Dani."

"Och. What'd I have?" I asked, my thoughts were swirling. "Wow! Hook me up! Get it! You Hook me up to something nice!"

"A light sedative and pain reliever."

"Woo-hoo! Do you 'Ya-hoo'?" I said and began to really make no sense whatsoever as my English became more slurred. "Oh Shag! Goodnight!" I said, lying my head down on the pillow and drifting off into sleep.


	12. Chapter 12 Ratchet's MedBay

In this Chapter, Dani gets free from Med-Bay, but has one major issue with Sunstreaker. And Sunstreaker refuses to take her out to town to get something important. Optimus is on a rampage for some odd reason and Dani gets caught with her hand in a storage bin of multi-colored wires. What happens when Optimus catches her?

Chapter Twelve

Dani waited impatiently while Ratchet scanned her to make sure these 'nanites' weren't malfunctioning. "Can I go now?" I asked impatiently.

"How many times do I have to say no?"

I gave him a mischievous grin. "A thousand times." I said.

Ratchet grumbled something that Dani couldn't hear. "How about now?" Her cheerfulness had returned.

"No!" Ratchet grumbled. "When I deem you fit to go, you can go!"

"Aww!" I said. "I thought you'd let me go today."

"I am. But I want to make sure that you aren't going to have another seizure."

"I'm not! I feel perfectly fine!" I said. "Please? I'll come back tonight, tomorrow, and the next day after tomorrow."

Ratchet shook his head. "Dani? You're relentless."  
"Thank you."

Ratchet finished his scan and held out his hand. I climbed onto his hand and held onto a thumb digit. Ratchet walked out of the Med-Bay. He pulled me up to his optics and warned me, "Keep away from Optimus. He's on a rampage today for some reason."

"Okay I will." I promised as he bent down and I jumped off his hand.

I walked away from him, looking for Sunstreaker. I couldn't find him, but I ran into Prowl. I clasped my hands, whistling a small tune as I walked by him. I swore I could feel his optics burning a hole in my head as I walked up the hall. I was in a good mood until I had to go to the bathroom. I walked toward Sunstreaker's room and the door opened, revealing Sunstreaker.

"There you are! I was about to come find you." He said.

"Find me?"

"Yes."

"Good." I said, walking into his quarters between his legs.

"Where are you going?"

"To the bathroom." I said, walking toward my room and walking toward the bathroom. When I realized I had started something, I called Sunstreaker. "Um, Sunstreaker?"

"Yes, Dani?"

"Can you take me to town? I need something."

"No."

"I really need to get something today."

"Well, you refused to go to town yesterday. And I'm not taking you today."

"Please?" I asked.

"No."

"Fine! I'll ask Sideswipe since you don't 'feel' like it!"

I went to leave before Sunstreaker growled his disapproval. "Now you listen here..."

I left Sunstreaker's quarters and went to look for Sideswipe. I didn't get far before I was grabbed from behind.

"Now you listen to me. I'm not taking you to town and you don't have my approval to go."

"Then I'll go to Ironhide and tell him you're refusing to take me to town for something I need."

"What do you need so bad?" Sunstreaker said.

"Take a good guess!"

Sunstreaker scanned her body to find something else. "Oh." He finally said. "Go back to your room and wait for me."

"It takes an hour to-"

"No it will not! We have a small store right outside. I'll be back with your needs."

I went back to his quarters, wondering why no one said anything about having a store on base.

When Sunstreaker returned, I thanked him and left to go to the bathroom.

-0-

When Sunstreaker left for his patrol that day, I explored the base, trying to stay out of trouble. You know they have a saying that trouble finds me? Well, trouble did that day and Ratchet's warning wasn't true about Optimus being on a rampage.

I was exploring a room I shouldn't have even stepped in, but being naturally curious, I went ahead and browsed the room. I was curious when I saw all the spare parts in organized bins. It reminded me of putting together that little robot and I yearned to put something together. I walked over to a bin marked, 'Wires'. The bin was taller than me, but just enough for me to climb up while I hung over the edge. I opened the lid and looked inside the bin. Inside was a vast collection of multi-colored wires. I reached into the bin when I heard a loud, but stern voice breaking my thoughts and curiosity.

"Danielle Evans." I heard Optimus' voice and jumped backwards, falling from the bin to the floor. "What are you doing in here?"

"Exploring."

"Exploring a storage closet?"

"Is that what this is? It's awfully big to be a closet." I stood up and looked at him.

"Small to us, big to you."

"Oh." I said.

"Let's go." Optimus said, beckoning me out.

I walked out and waited for him, but he closed the door and I heard an audible click. "Aww! I'm sorry! I didn't know I wasn't supposed to be in there." I said about to leave.

"Dani?" Optimus asked wondering what brought that on. "What's wrong?"

I stopped and said, "I was looking in there because I like storage closets to rummage around for spare parts."

"Why spare parts?"

"To put a robot together."

"Hmm. I think I've got an idea for you."

"You do?" I asked in complete and utter shock. "You mean you're not going to yell at me for being there?"

"I've already vented."

"So you're not in a rampage now?" I said, getting ready to run, but I heard a vented sigh.

"Who told you that I was rampaging down the hall and base?"

I lifted a hand up to rub the back of my neck. "Er, Rat cough chet."

"Ratchet? The wrench throwing medic himself?"  
"Didn't hear it from me! My lips are sealed..." I sang in a sing song voice and walking briskly away from Optimus.

"Danielle Evans! Come back here!"

I stopped in the middle of the hall. "My lips are sealed and I've told you where I-"

"Lower your voice and tone." Optimus said.

"Huh?" I asked, wondering why he thought I was speaking to loudly.

"Lower your voice and tone."

"You can't hear me."

"I can hear you when you speak normally. Now, go to your room-"

"Sunstreaker's not here." I interrupted him and then grinned. "May I go to the library, please?" I asked.

"If that is your destination, you may go."

"Thank you!" I said, running up to his foot and hugged him. Then I ran away from his foot toward the Hangar. "Library! Here I come!" I exclaimed, running toward the door. I paused at the door, not really sure of myself. I hesitantly open the door and look out into the bright sunshine. I looked around at first and then stepped out of the Hangar.

"Wow!" I said as if I hadn't seen the sun for days. I waited for my eyes to adjust and then walked away from the open door. I wondered where the library was and wandered for a long time before I found the library. It was a large building with an 'Authorized Personnel Only' sign on the door. I reached out and open the door. I walked into the air conditioned building.

"You're not-Oh! Hi." A man said. "You must be Danielle Evans."

I nodded.

"Shy? I'm Steve." He introduced himself. "Optimus rang to say you were stopping by and so I held off on closing early."

"Thank you." I said.

"I do have some Juvenile books over here," Steve said beckoning toward a section in the library. He led me to bookcases full of juvenile books and children's books.

"So what do you like to read?"

"Everything." I said. "And anything."

"Perfect. A little bit of this and that, eh?"

"Yes." I said, browsing around until I saw a book that caught my eye. I reached out for the book and pulled it off the shelf.

"You want to read that one?" Steve asked.

"Yes."

"All right." he said, taking the book to his desk, but he noticed I wasn't following him. Instead, I pulled out more than one book. I decided to read more than one book. I smiled as I walked up the counter.

"Dad used to tell me to read as much as I can."

"Good."

"I write too." I said.

"Is that so? What do you write?"

"Science fiction and fantasy."

"Interesting. Have you ever thought of getting anything published?"

"Sometimes."

"Whenever you feel ready, you come down the library and I'll see what you wrote and I'll edit it and then we can send it off to one of the publishing houses."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes, really." Steve said.

"Thanks." I said.

"Those are due in three weeks."

"Okay. Thanks." I said.

"Let me walk out with you and lock up."

"Thanks." I waited at the door for him and looked out to see Ironhide's form. "Uh-oh. Ironhide's here, Steve."

"He's here to pick me up and take me home across the base."

"Oh! I like Ironhide. He's like my Dad and I wonder if he's going to give me a lesson today."

"It's late." Steve said, walking up to the door and holding the door open for me. I stepped outside into the warmth. "Ironhide won't give you lessons until tomorrow."

When I stepped over to Ironhide, he asked, "Dani? What are you doing here?"

"Checking out books." I said. "Optimus said I could."

"All right. Do you know where the Hangar is?"

"I think so." I said sounding very uncertain.

"I'm not taking any chances, Dani. Climb up." He opened his passenger side door. Steve helped me into Ironhide and I sat in the middle of the truck.

"Wow! We're really high up, aren't we?"

"Seatbelts."

"I'm going with you?"

"No. I'm dropping you off before I leave here. If I don't, you'll be in big trouble with Optimus and I want to avoid that."

"Okay." I said.

"But I will spend the day with you tomorrow teaching you."

"Awww! Do I have to?"

"Yes." Ironhide said, stopping inside the Hangar. He opened his driver's door and I jumped out of his form. I held my books in my hands and walked away from him. "Thanks, Ironhide."

"You're welcome. See you tomorrow."

I walked toward Sunstreaker's quarters and found him not back from patrol. I decided to sit down close to the door and began reading.

Nothing ba


	13. Chapter 13 Lessons with Ironhide

Chapter 13

Dani's in for some quality time with her new teacher: Ironhide. Danielle is slow so Ironhide would be the best teacher for her. Now they know how to get her to learn and it's not inside a small room. Can you guess where Ironhide takes her for her second lesson?

Regular POV

Dani didn't want to wake up from her blissful sleep. Sunstreaker's holoform was gently whispering into her ear for her to wake up. Instead, she began to rat out excuses of a headache. Sunstreaker's scans came back negative for seizure activity. "Danielle Evans. You have no seizure activity. It is time for you to wake up and go to school."

"Don't want to! Pierce Antony will pick on me, Daddy."

"What? Danielle! Get up now!" Sunstreaker's voice turned from comforting to angry.

-0-

Dani's POV

Opening my eyes, I saw Sunstreaker's holoform. "-out of this bed now!" and that's when I realized my terrible mistake. I had called Sunstreaker, 'Daddy', out of habit. Dad used to speak to me in a soft voice until I woke up. I told Sunstreaker I'd be out in a moment or two. I went to the bathroom, trying not to cry and be upset. I took a short shower and then dressed. Sunstreaker waited until I was out of his quarters before I began walking down the hall to breakfast.

I tried my hardest not to think about my Mom and Dad. I wished they would just let me read and write all day! Maybe I could after school with Ironhide. I ate breakfast in silence, thinking about the lesson. What was it going to like?

"Hey! Dani! Top of the morning to ya." Epps said.

I jumped in shock. "Oh hi." I said.

"Dani? Feeling all right?"

"What's Ironhide like? Is he gruff with lessons?"

"Is that what you're worrying over?" Epps asked, sitting next to me and beginning to eat his breakfast.

"Yes." I answered.

"He's great! Taught Lennox better aiming methods when shooting a gun!"

"That's different." I said.

"Dani. Listen to me. Has he ever lost his patience with you?"

I shook my head.

"Has he ever been angry with you?"

I shrugged. "Don't know."

"Has he ever been mad at you for doing something you shouldn't be doing?"

"No."

"See. I hardly think he's going to lecture you about your behavior. You haven't done anything wrong, have you?"

"No-yes. Optimus caught me in a storage closet..."

"Was he mad at you?"

"No."

"Then you've got nothing to worry about, Dani. You've been pretty good about staying here and not trying to run away."

"Thanks." I said. "Mr Epps."

"You don't have to be formal, Dani. No one is these days." Epps said. "Dani. My father told me that true bravery comes from the heart and mind. Use your strongest abilities over your weaknesses. Make your strongest abilities outweigh the weaknesses."

I looked at him and smiled. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, Dani."

"Dani?" I heard Lennox's voice. "Ironhide's ready for you."

"Okay. Be right there. Let me clean up my tray and I'll be there."

I picked up my tray and walked over to the automatic tray conveyer. Then I walked out to Ironhide's large form.

"Good morning, Dani." Ironhide said, a bit gruffly.

"Hi? Did I do something wrong?" I asked.

"No. Climb in."

I hesitated. "I think I've got to go to the bathroom again."

"All right."

I half-ran to the bathroom in Sunstreaker's quarters. I was looking at him strangely and went into the bathroom to retrieve a small purse and some personal things I'd need for the day. I made sure I went before climbing into Ironhide's Alt-form. "Sunstreaker? See you later?" I asked.

"Mhmm!" He mumbled, not even bothering with a second glance before he fell back into recharge. I walked out of the room and toward the Hangar. I saw Ironhide standing there talking to Prowl.

I stop-walked and froze when I saw Prowl's icy blue optics looking at me. Prowl walked over to me and that's when I began to shake nervously. Ironhide walked over behind him. "Good morning, Dani. I've got a couple of questions to ask you before you leave with Ironhide."

"Whatever it was, I was in my room the whole time..."

"It is not that," Ironhide said. "What did you do when I dropped you off?"

"I sat outside Sunstreaker's quarters. Why?"

"Because we are investigating a theft of red paint and brushes. So far, I have no leads."

"Red paint?" I questioned. "I was reading a book and Sunstreaker found me waiting for him. I didn't run off anywhere else after that."

"I will review the feeds in my office. If I find anything suspicious, I will know where you are today and come get you."

I didn't know how to answer and watched Prowl walk away. I looked up to Ironhide's blue optics. He backed up and transformed into his Alt-Mode. He opened his passenger side door and I climbed into the cab. I put on my seatbelt and set my purse in my lap. "So where are we heading?"

"On a field trip to a beach."

"A beach? I didn't bring my swim stuff."

"You're not going there to swim. You're going to there to learn."

I recoiled out of fear and my heart rate must have risen.

"Dani. I'm sorry! I'm not gruff in the afternoons. I'm gruff because it's too early in the morning for this!" Ironhide lamented.

I didn't want to upset him anymore and so I kept my mouth shut. I liked going swimming and leaned back against the seat. I began to feel myself drifting to sleep.

-0-

Regular POV

Ironhide didn't say anything about his charge falling asleep in his seat. He would wake her up when he got to his destination. Dani's nanites weren't showing any seizure activity so that was a good thing. Ratchet, he, and Sunstreaker were given the codes to keep tabs on any seizure activity through their CPUs. He heard Dani groaning in her sleep.

"No." She said in her sleep. "Don't!"

"Dani." Ironhide began. "Wake up."

"Please don't hurt him!" She begged.

"Dani!" Ironhide said sharply.

Dani jolted awake, looking around the cab, and holding her purse against her chest. Her mouth was twisted in horror.

"Dani? You were dreaming."

"I was." Dani confirmed. "They were torturing Pierce Antony. What's that mean, Ironhide?"

"It means the exact opposite." Ironhide grumbled. "Dreams are the exact opposite of reality, Dani. They aren't real."

"I know, but why does it feel so real sometimes?"

"Dreams can feel real sometimes, but you have to remember to wake up from your dream. You have to tell yourself you are dreaming and nothing can hurt you."

"Not even Freddy Kruger?"

"Not even an imagined killer sparked from an author's mind, Dani. I just cannot imagine a man haunting your dreams every night and killing people. It is just terrible. And if we do not stop talking about this, you will wind up with bad dreams tonight."

"So Freddy Kruger isn't real? Pierce used to tell me he'd find me in my dreams one night and get me."

"Pierce is a bully." Ironhide rumbled. "He will get what's coming to him sooner or later. Bullies always do."

I nodded. "So, what are you going to teach me today?"


	14. Chapter 14 Lessons on Trust

Chapter Fourteen

Dani was surprised to notice that the beach was very private. Dani couldn't help but let her wild and carefree energy take over. "Oh Ironhide! I love this beach! Can't I just look for shells before we start the lesson?" I asked happily.

"Dani. We have three hours before lunch-time and I don't think that's a valid excuse to 'play' when you're supposed to be learning."

I spun around and looked at the Alt-form. "That's no fun!"

"Come back inside my form. We're leaving the beach."

"What? We just got here-" I trailed off when I realized that Ironhide was the one who handled the punishment detail. "Yes sir." I said as I walked toward his form. He opened his passenger side door and I climbed into his form. The door closed and cool air began to flow from his vents.

"Dani? How many Mechs do you trust?" Ironhide asked.

"Is this a trick question?" I asked. "If it is..."

"Danielle Evans! Just answer the question! How many Mech's do you trust?" Ironhide asked sharply.

I looked around the cab as if someone other than Ironhide could hear me. "Four."

"Four? Name them."

"Why?"

"Danielle-" Ironhide began.

"Fine!" I said sharply. "You, Ratchet, Sunstreaker, and Sideswipe!"

"No one else?"

"No."

"Danielle. I'm ashamed of you. You should learn to trust all of us."

"But I haven't met them all! How can I trust them if I haven't been introduced to them all?"  
"You have met Optimus Prime, Jazz, Mirage, and Prowl. You should trust everyone of us!"

"But Optimus was mean to me!"

"He was very disappointed in you for leaving the base. I've been with Optimus for a very long time and he cares all about Humans." Ironhide said. "He especially cares about you very much, Danielle. He doesn't want you hurt or worse, killed by the Decepticons." Ironhide paused for a moment for this lesson to be absorbed. He continued, "Danielle, Optimus takes his role of guardian seriously and will go through many lengths to keep you safe. Your parental units tried to shield you from the Decepticons and their plans. Your parental units trusted Optimus with their hearts and it's a pretty poor way to repay them when you decide to run away when you feel like it."

Dani looked down and nodded, "I'm sorry." She apologized. "I was scared."

"That is normal, Daniellle. But running away from us is the most stupidest things a human can do especially when you were told not to do anything like that!"

"But Ironhide! All I wanted was to go home! Didn't you want to go home?"

"Yes." Ironhide admitted. "For a long time I wanted to go home, but couldn't because Megatron destroyed Cybertron. We are here to prevent Earth from being destroyed. Earth is now our home, too. We share it with Humans. There are some humans that can be trusted and others that cannot. Optimus once told us, 'Humanity is a young race. They are still learning. We cannot judge them because of their ways, customs, and cultures. Humanity exists simply because they have an internal connection to their home and even despite differences, they come together to fight against external threats and to stand up against the threat.'." Ironhide paused for a moment.

"But why would you stay here?" I asked.

"Because this place is a culture shock to all Autobots. If the Decepticons would see the greatness in Humanity, then they might share our concerns with the way you treat your planet. They would understand that Humanity is in its infancy. You wouldn't destroy an infant, now would you?"

"No."

"Why would anyone want to destroy an infant when all they want from their parental units is love, guidance, and support? Humanity needs the support and guidance to keep going. Without that support and guidance, humanity would fail dramatically."

"What kind of support and guidance? Like leadership?"

"Government support and guidance. No country can run without its leader. So if a government is unable to support it's people, there will be economic downfalls and loss of jobs."

"How do you know all this if you're not from here?"

"News."

"Oh." I said. "What does this all have to do with me?"

"Everything. A child cannot survive without their parental units so what happens is you are handed over to a new guardian like a family member. Your parental units were afraid that the Decepticons would go after your Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, or other relatives so they ensured that you would go directly to Optimus."

"Oh! I didn't know. So now you're my teacher?"

"You can say that." Ironhide said. "And you'll have to learn the lessons in trust. For your homework, you should work on expanding that trust to more than just the four of us."

"You're giving me homework?"

"Yes. I expect you to learn to go to Optimus and Prowl to develop that trust. Then you go to Jazz, Mirage, and Bumblebee after I determine you're ready. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe cannot babysit you all the time."

Ironhide's a good teacher with a lot of patience. Perhaps Dani needs this. R&R please. Thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter.


	15. Chapter 15 Lessons with Prowl

Dani's lesson in trust has to be rescheduled as Ironhide has to be pulled away at a moments' notice. Dani's first lesson with Prowl, the Second in Command proves challenging for Dani and takes her out on one of his patrols.

Chapter fifteen

When Dani finished lunch, she watched as Ironhide left in a big hurry. Thinking that maybe she had offended him somehow, she turned to walk away. She saw the black and white Mech coming to her and she immediately froze. "Oh shag!" She mumbled. "I'm in deep trouble."

"Danielle Evans. Come with me."

"But why? What'd I do?" She asked, thinking she did something very wrong.

"Your lesson promptly at 12:00 is to begin now with me."

"I-thanks." She was shy again.

"We will not be going to the beach."

"Why not?"

Prowl looked like he was ready to glitch, but he took a deep vented sigh. "I do not like sand, water, and messy conditions."

"Oh! I got shells and had dirt in my shoes! I love the beach-" Dani ventured to say.

"Lesson now, talk later."

"How do you expect me to trust him," Dani mumbled, following him toward the huge hangar door, "when he isn't like Ironhide?"

-0-

Dani's POV

"How do you expect me to trust him," I mumbled, as I followed him to the huge hangar door, "when he isn't like Ironhide?"

"What was that, Danielle Evans?" Prowl asked.

"Nothing, sir." I said quickly.

Prowl bent down and looked at me with his icy blue optics. "My audios are superior and I advise you not to back talk me."

"I didn't!"

"You did and if you want me to tell Ironhide you are acting up, you will remember to behave yourself, do I make myself clear, Danielle Evans?"

"Yes sir." I said, averting my eyes.

"Good! Now get into my backseat. There is a time limit to your lesson and it should have started five seconds ago." Prowl said, changing into his police cruiser. He opened his backseat door for me.

"Can't I sit up in the front?" I asked.

"No."

"Then you're going to arrest me?"

"You are mistaken. I am going to teach you a lesson that Ironhide will not approve, but I believe you will learn from an experience if you witness it."

I hesitated, but didn't move. I placed both of my hands over my ears and clenched my eyes closed. "Danielle Evans." Prowl's voice said. "You will learn this lesson or I will notify Optimus immediately."

I opened my eyes and took off my hands from my ears. I didn't want to get into trouble with Optimus. I left my left ear uncovered and my right ear covered as I slid into the backseat. Then I uncovered my ear and hugged myself.

I fought against a seatbelt that was trying to rush me into strapping me into the seat. "Let me do it!" I exclaimed as I hit the seatbelt.

The belt flopped back into place and I reached to grab the belt. "See! I can do it myself!" I said. "I'm not immobile, stupid, or dumb!" I kind of ranted then out of frustration.

"I did not say you were stupid. Stupid and dumb have the same definitive purposes, Danielle." Prowl said in his ever calm tone.

I licked my lips. "I know, but people used to tell my Dad lies about why I couldn't tell the truth and he'd think I'd be lying on purpose."

"Danielle. We understand when you do not understand what we ask. But I want you to be truthful and honest. You know very well that Optimus and I do not tolerate lies simply because they get you into trouble more than the truth. The truth is the best way to get out of trouble."

"It does not! Sunstreaker-"

"Grounded you." Prowl finished impatiently. "He didn't ground you because of your lies. He grounded you for a reason. A specific reason that you will learn today. You are a youngster and I want you to see what happens with youthful runaways are left out on their own."

I frowned, "But all I wanted to do was go home."

"I am well aware of why you kept running away, Danielle." Prowl said, speeding up out of the base. He had been slow because of his own speeding laws. There were other security 'Bots, but Dani only needed to meet the ones who she met. They'd work on other 'Bots on his team later and when she learned to trust them better.

Prowl also noticed that Dani was quiet and looking out the window at the passing scenery. Didn't Dani ever look out of Ironhide's window when he left to go to the beach? Probably not. He wondered what she was thinking.

-0-

I watched the passing scenery go speeding by and I remembered going out on camping trips with Dad. I spent a lot of time learning about nature. I was very good with nature and gardening. I enjoyed gardening and planting new flowers and vegetables for a small garden. Dad and I would spend hours outside looking for butterflies to catch, birds to watch, and doing all things outdoors when Dad wasn't working for NEST. I put my hand on my cheek, watching trees whizzing by and for the first time I felt at peace. Nothing bothered me about riding in a police car.

-0-

An hour later, we arrived in town. By then, my focus wasn't anywhere on my surroundings. I held my purse to my chest nervously as I saw older kids walking carelessly around and I froze at the way they were dressed and how they were talking. Dad told me that some kids who were homeless developed 'Street Slang'. This type of slang was like a code or a way of speaking out on the streets. I was too shocked and scared to become sensitive, but Prowl drove like he was patrolling the area and I knew the kids couldn't see into the car, but I could see them. I was scared of someone who looked like Pierce. This kid was picking on a couple of younger kids and Prowl drove over to them and rang his sirens. I froze and my eyes widened when I realized he was going to talk to him. "Prowl! Don't go out there!" I whispered.

"My job, Danielle."

I watched him engage his holoform and began talking to them. "Is there a problem, here?"

I heard him say.

"No sir." I heard one of the younger kids answer.

"The three of you are too young to be out here. I would advise you to go home."

Both of the younger kids were boys. Twins. They looked like they've been out on the streets since they were born. "How long have you both been in this neighborhood?" Prowl asked.

"Since we were eight, sir."

"Well, I think it's time for the both of you to go home. And you sir, should not be picking on some kids not your age."

I was stunned into silence as the older kid began snappishly ranted to Prowl about minding his business. Prowl's holoform face belied no emotion whatsoever, but he became very serious. "Come with me! Young man!" Prowl said sharply and handcuffing him. I saw the glass partition slide down and Prowl's voice come through the radio at me, "Danielle! Front and center! Now."

I hastily moved to the front passenger seat and the partition slid down. Prowl took the older boy and pushed him into the backseat. Then he buckled him into the seat. The two younger boys were taunting and before I knew it, Prowl arrested them, too.

"Ooooh! A pretty little girl in the front seat!" the older boy said and I gave him a glare. "Oooh! Such nice clothes!"

"Silence!" Prowl ordered and I buckled my seatbelt when I noticed the glare from Prowl. I didn't test his patience and didn't question him this time. I pushed down my fear and began a mantra in my head, _"Not having one! Not having an Aspie moment!" _Prowl didn't say anything as he sped out of the neighborhood, toward the local police station. "You stay!" he ordered me.

I didn't say anything, but I think I was just in a bit of a shock and now I know I wanted to go back to the base. I didn't want to witness another arrest and I immediately tried to open the door for air. "Danielle Evans."

"Air? Please?" I asked.

I felt a steady stream of cool air coming from the vents in front of me and I sat back, holding my purse in my lap.

"Thanks." I said. "Do we get to go back to base?"

"No. I've got one more place for you to visit."

"Oh." I said. "Can I go to the bathroom first?"

"Yes." Prowl said. "After I book the three kids."

"Book? Like read them their rights and fingerprint them?"

"Yes."

"I was fingerprinted when I was in first grade. A couple of cops came in and fingerprinted us."

Prowl remembered coming to a school and observing all the children in the first grade. He had met Danielle during the fingerprinting and she was the first of all the children to get fingerprinted. "I remember you. You were the first child to come get fingerprinted."

I shrugged and asked, "That was you?"

"Yes. I was on one of my patrols."

"Oh." I said. "Can I go to the bathroom now?"

"Go and make it quick." Prowl said, unlocking the door and letting her out. I clutched my purse and ran into the police station. I went directly toward the bathroom.

After relieving myself, I met Prowl's holoform and he grabbed my arm. I let out an audible gasp, stifling my scream. "What? Did I hurt you?"

I shook my head quickly.

"No. Then why did you react like that?"

"Don't like people touching me."

"You just have to give yourself time to adjust." Prowl said, making sure I was ready. Then I gasped, "My purse!"

"Officer Rowl? Is this your daughter?"

I detached my hand and ran back into the bathroom. I grabbed my purse from the sink and walked out toward Prowl. I clasped my hand in his and he gripped my hand. "Yes."

"You took your daughter out on an arrest?"

"Yes. 'Take your daughter to work day'."

"Oh! Isn't that a tad bit dangerous?"

"Yes, but she knows when to buck down in my cruiser."

"Smart girl. What's your name?"

I didn't answer, instead, I stiffened and my hand around Prowl's tightened. "She's also Autistic. This is Danielle Rowl."

I stiffened when I heard the change of my name. But Prowl gave me a reassuring squeeze. "I must be going. I think I've stressed out my daughter long enough." Prowl said, steering me out of the police station and into his cruiser. Instead of the backseat, he let me sit in the front seat. I didn't say anything until we were gone from the police station.

"You're known there?" I asked.

"Yes. That is my friend. He's an Autobot as well."

"Oh!" I said. "Why did you lie to him?"

"Because we have to blend in! He knows who you are and the Captain was listening in, so I had to tell him that you were my daughter."

"Oh." I said.

"So what have you learned so far?"

"All kids get arrested?" I asked sarcastically.

Prowl's holoform glared at me and I added, "That we were in a bad part of town and that's what happens when kids like me are out on the streets? They get into trouble."

"That is correct. Good job, Danielle."

I wasn't used to compliments and smiled a small smile. "I'm hungry. Can we go eat somewhere?"

Prowl looked at me and nodded. "You're getting less nervous. By the way, you have an appointment with Ratchet after our lesson."

"What for? I'm in good health and I haven't had any headaches."

"'Do not attempt to skip out on your appointments with Ratchet'." Prowl quoted.

"Yeah yeah! I'll go."

We pulled off for a snack, but after I had eaten and gotten into the cruiser, I noticed that my stomach was rolling and I ignored the feeling.

The next lesson I went to was Juvee Hall and sitting in the cell all by myself, fighting Aspie moments all throughout that time was tiring me out. When Prowl collected me after five minutes, which seemed longer to me, I literally crushed him in a hug and then let him go. I crushingly clasped his hand hard and followed him out of the cell block. By the time I got to the cruiser, I was shaking.

"Worst place, right?"

I nodded.

"Then you won't run away from us again?"

I shook my head. "And what have you learned from this lesson?"

"That I don't like sitting in jail cells."

"Well, think about how long it is for the inmates, Danielle? You sat in there for five minutes. How long did it seem for you?"

"Eternity."

"That is right. Those three kids you met are going to be going in there until they're eighteen or pardoned."

I didn't reply so Prowl continued, "What have you learned from this lesson?"

"I don't like sitting in a cell by myself," I repeated. "having to look out from bars, a roll of toilet paper, no privacy, and watched every day of my life."

"That is correct. You are being watched twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week."

I didn't want that and it was scary enough just seeing what it was like. I wasn't sure whether or not this was a lesson of trust like with Ironhide. I think this was a lesson of what would happen if I were to run away again, but I wouldn't turn to the life of crime like those kids did, right?

Suddenly, I said something I shouldn't have, "What does this have to do with me?"

Prowl turned his holoform at me and said, "Everything-"

"But what you've shown me is criminals." I interrupted.

"What I have shown you is what could happen to you if you have ever turned to crime such as stealing!" Prowl said. "You have not learned, Danielle Evans if you asked that kind of question!"

"I'm not a criminal!" I said. "You treat me like one just because I ran away."

"You ran away from your home is not something we are going to tolerate!" Prowl said very sharply. "You need more time in the cell? I can easily arrange that in our human brig!"

"No thanks. I get it! I'm not stupid. I'm just wondering about why you showed me that? I'm not a criminal! I'm a girl! I would never do anything like that!" I was on the verge of crying again. "I'm was brought up not to steal. Not every runaway is like me. Not every runaway means to turn to the life of crime. Some people steal food to survive! I'd steal food just to survive and clothes to keep myself clothed and warm! I wouldn't steal money!"

Suddenly, Prowl slammed on his brakes. "Backseat! Now!" His voice deadly.

My eyes widened and I struggled with the door. It wouldn't unlock. As my stomach churned, I began to do something. "Let me out, please?" I begged, my face turning pale.

"No." Prowl said.

I held my hand to my mouth and unlocked the door. I didn't say anything until I coughed and that's when the door opened. I tore across the road to the side of the road. It was then everything I had eaten before Juvee Hall came back up.

Prowl's hand was on my back and I sputtered. "Eww!" I said. "Yuck."

Walking back to the cruiser, I lay in the backseat and tried to keep my stomach from moving. Prowl's speed increased and raced up the road to the base, never heeding the speed limit. His lights flashing and sirens blaring. I thought the noise would just kill me and tried to tune it out.

I drifted to a light sleep, trying to tune to the engine instead of the sirens.

Thank you for reading and don't forget to review.


	16. Chapter 16 Dani and Prowl Talk

Chapter 16 Dani and Prowl Talk

In this chapter, Prowl begins to regret his decision about stressing Danielle. But in the end, Danielle asks for Prowl.

Regular POV

The first thing I noticed was two voices talking about something. I heard Ratchet's voice and Optimus' voice. I opened my eyes and looked around the room I was in. I knew I was in Med-Bay because of the tables, cables, and other things I couldn't name. Ratchet and Optimus were talking about me and I strained my ears to listen.

"She's okay. High fever's being taken care of and it's a virus. Nothing you can do but wait it out."

"How long?"

"Twenty-four hours."

"So are you going to observe her?"

"Yes. Those nanites worked so I prepared her area."

"Good. Let me know when she's awake." Optimus went to leave and Ratchet turned around to check. "Oh! Optimus? She's awake."

Optimus paused and turned to look. "Danielle?" He asked, walking into the room.

"Hi?" I questioned.

"Hi." Optimus returned. "Feeling better?"

"The stuff Ratchet gave me is making me feel not so nauseated."

"That's good." Optimus commented. "Would you like me to stay here or leave?"

"You can stay." I said. "But I feel awful."

"Are you feeling sick?"

"Yes, but I just feel awful."

"Well, let me go get Ratchet."

"No. I feel awful for talking to Prowl. Did he tell you?"

"Well no. He didn't tell me yet. What did you do?"

"I questioned his lesson he gave me."

"What lesson did he give you?"

"He took me to the bad side of town, then booked some kids up, and then took me to Juvee Hall. Then he left me in a cell for five minutes to get a 'feel' of what's it's like to be locked up..." I told him.

Optimus was silent for a few minutes. Then he spoke, "You questioned my second in command?"

"Um, yes." I said feebly.

"What was the first rule I established with you?"

I couldn't believe this! Here I was sick and he was giving me a lecture. "What was the first rule I established with you?"

"Never skip on appointments with Ratchet?"

Suddenly, I heard laughter from the door. "Is that the only rule you learned from us?"

"Ratchet! You're not helping." Optimus said. "Now, Danielle! What did I lecture you on when you and I were in my office?"

I shifted and looked at him. "Don't question your orders."

"Yes. That also applies to Prowl."

"What?" I asked, feeling like I wanted to kick someone's butt! I was getting confused. "You didn't say that! You only told me I had to obey your orders!"

"Optimus, you're stressing my patient!" Ratchet said. "She needs her rest!"

"Come on!" I exclaimed. "I didn't run away! Prowl was giving me a lesson on what happens to kids who either ran away or did something equally bad! He showed me some horrible things-" I burst out, trying not to cry. "If anything, I remember him when he came to my first grade class to talk about fingerprinting and how we'd be in the system for life. He only meant to show me what happens if I turn to the life of crime and to stop me from running away!"

Optimus didn't say anything for a while. I don't know who he was conferring with, but I had a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach and I immediately paled. Tears welled up in my eyes and I couldn't believe this! Prowl must be talking to Optimus internally. I swallowed a lump forming in my throat.

"Yes. He did tell me that you questioned him about certain events and then told him that if you were hungry, you would steal food to survive and steal clothes to keep clothed and warm. That is the basic necessities of life." Optimus said. "I order you to rest."

Optimus stood up and said, "I think I have overstayed my welcome." Ratchet looked at him as he left.

I waited until he left before I turned on my side and cried my frustration. Ratchet walked into the room and rubbed my back. I turned to face him, tears streaming my face. "I'm sorry." I said. "I'm frustrated."

"Don't worry about a thing. I think you just proved that you do trust Prowl."

"Can I speak to him?" I asked.

"Who? Prowl?"

"Yes."

"I'll comm him to come. But you've got to stop leaking lubricants out from your organic optics first."

I rubbed my eyes with a pro-offered towel that was wet and warm. "Thanks." I said hoarsely. He waited a few minutes for me to stop crying before he commed Prowl.

-0-

Prowl's POV

When I got to my office, I felt terrible for my attitude toward Danielle. It wasn't her fault. I received a message from Prime and then Ratchet. I opened Prime's message first, _'Ironhide has been sent on a mission. He will not be back for another two days. Please take a day tomorrow to teach her something else. I will take a lesson on trust the next day.' _signed Optimus Prime.

I responded, _'Optimus Prime, I'll take Danielle for another lesson if she feels better the next day.'_ Signed Prowl, SIC.

_'Thank you. The lesson's up to you.' _Signed Optimus Prime.

Optimus had his own personal way of signing his name on each document. So did Prowl. He opened Ratchet's message, _'Danielle is requesting your appearance in the Med-Bay.' _Signed Ratchet, Chief Medical Officer.

_'I will be there in a moment.' _Signed Prowl, SIC.

I checked the rest of my messages and left the office. I walked toward the Med-Bay. I saw Danielle lying in bed, resting.

She suddenly looked at me and smiled. "Hi."

-0-

Dani's POV

I looked at Prowl and said, "Hi."

"Hello. Are you feeling better?" He asked.

"As long as Ratchet gives me something for my upset stomach, I am." I said. "Um, I'm sorry for asking the wrong question."

Prowl looked at me for a moment. "You did not ask me the wrong question. You asked the right question."

"I did?"

"Yes." Prowl said. "I am sure another human would wonder why I dragged them out on one of my patrols for a lesson. I did need to show you what happens and you are right in one way or another about the stealing to survive." He paused before continuing.

I looked at him in shock. "You mean I told you why anyone steals?"

"Some of your reasoning is right. Some people only steal what they need to survive. There are other people out there that do not do that. They do it because it is a habit and a learned behavior."

I frowned. "How can stealing be a learned behavior?"

"Have you ever really wanted something bad and your parental unit told you no? When you did not get it, you decided you would just to take something because you 'wanted' it and hide it from sight. When you get out or attempting to leave the store, your parental unit catches you with the candy. Your parental unit takes you back into the store to apologize to the store manager about stealing a candy bar. That is a foiled attempt to steal. Every child tries it, Danielle, and I am pretty certain you have tried that once."

"Yes. But Dad wouldn't spank me. He just warned me not to do it again."

"And you did not."

"No." I answered. "Why would stealing be a learned experience?"

"Stealing is taught by a person who has been stealing for a long time. The shoplifter can be a mother or father. You see them do it so you watch them and pick it up yourself. Then you have learned that you can shoplift and it is easy. Most shoplifters are caught." Prowl said. "Those three kids happen to be shoplifters themselves. If I had let you out in your fashionable clothes, can you imagine what would happen?"

"They'd pick me because I stand out."

"Correct."

I heard someone walk into the Med-Bay. "Prowl? What are you doing here?" Sunstreaker asked and in shock.

"Visiting Danielle Evans. She requested I come visit."

"Oh. That's unusual."

"What is?"

"Visiting Danielle. She's afraid of you and Optimus."

"You are?"

I looked up at him and said, "I was. But not anymore. You're cool."

"Well, I have some reports including, yours Sunstreaker."

"I'll send it to you as soon as I'm done with Dani."

"All right. See you later, Danielle Evans."

"Bye, Prowl."

Prowl left.

Sunstreaker walked over to me and asked, "Did you have a good lesson with Ironhide and Prowl?"

"Yes." I said. "I think I understand better."

"That's good to hear because I don't want you running away again. I would dislike to spank you to make a point."

"Spank me?" I asked. "I didn't know you can do that."

"I can."

"Oh. Well, how was your, um, patrol?"

"Nothing out of ordinary. Why? Are you planning to escape?"

"Are you kidding me?" I asked. "You'll just drag me back to your apartment and probably give me another lecture."

"Good. As long as these lectures are sinking into your brain."

I crossed my arms and said, "Well, thanks for stopping by. I think I'm getting tired."

"Behave yourself, Danielle. I won't hesitate to discipline you."

I watched him turn and leave. I lay back and watch Ratchet putter around before taking a deep breath. I closed my eyes and drifted into a light sleep.


	17. Chapter 17: Bumblebee, Redstreaker

A bit long, but that's because I added Bumblebee. :) Thank you all for your reviews. :)

Chapter 17: Bumblebee, Redstreaker, and Pretenders

By a request, a reviewer suggested I put Bumblebee into this story more so here's an updated chapter. :)

Dani recovers from her virus and is released from Med-Bay. She's given one day to recuperate and rest per Ratchet's orders.

I listened carefully to Ratchet instruct me to take it easy the next day. He still acted very concerned about my health and I knew lessons would resume the day after tomorrow. Ratchet figured maybe the 'schooling' was too much for me to handle and he figured I was stressed out too much from all that happened in the past few days. Ratchet wanted to avoid another seizure and I gladly accepted his recommendation for some rest and relaxation in my room. I read all of the checked out books from the library. I closed the last book and placed it on my bed. I slipped off my bed and made my way to the door. I didn't see Sunstreaker or Sideswipe anywhere in the apartment. I walked out of my room or apartment, listening to any noise. Then I heard music coming from somewhere. I followed the music to a room. I peeked into the room and I saw Sunstreaker sitting there, optics offline.

"Um," I started to say. "Sunstreaker?" I asked.

His optics on-lined and he turned his icy gaze to me. I jumped.

"What is it, Dani?" He inquired impatiently.

I licked my lips and my voice sounded small and scared, "Can I go to the mess hall? I-I'm hungry." That bit was true.

Sunstreaker stood up and turned to me. I backed away as he walked over to me and opened the door. I smiled a small smile and walked over to the open door. "You be back here _after _dinner."

I turned to look at him. "What if I meet Major Lennox and Will Epps? What-"

"Dani! It's not a request. It's an order." Sunstreaker said, bending down to look at me. "I expect you to be back here after dinner. If you're not back here, I'll hunt you down."

"Yes sir." I answered.

"Just remember that." Sunstreaker warned as I slipped by him and the door slid closed. "Jerk off." I muttered, hoping he or any other Autobot didn't hear me. I didn't need a lecture from any 'Bot. I looked right and then left. Where was the mess hall from here? I figured I'd just walk and then bump into a soldier. Then I can tell him where I wanted to go and he could show me where to go. I went left, keeping close to the wall.

-0-

Bumblebee walked down the hall where he sensed a lone heat signature. He could tell the signature was human and went to investigate. Seeing Dani walking down the hall made him feel worried.

"Dani?" He asked and the girl stopped and stiffened up in obvious fear.

"What's wrong?" Bumblebee didn't realize she had been afraid of them. "Are you all right?"

The girl turned around and looked up at him. "Bumblebee!" She said with relief creeping into her voice.

"Yes. What's wrong? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." She said.

"Where are you going?"

"To the mess hall. Sunstreaker said I can go-"

"Oh! I'm not asking you to give me an explanation." Bumblebee answered, waving his servo. "You've got nothing to fear with me."

Dani appeared to have relaxed considerably. "I thought you were going to take me to Optimus Prime or Prowl."

"No of course not. What gave you that idea?"

"I thought if I were caught without my guardian, er, Sunstreaker, you'd or someone else would report me-"

"The only time you have to fear is if you were to do something worthwhile. You're human and-"

"Bumblebee?" Prowl asked, from behind them both and Dani jumped.

Bumblebee turned around, shielding Dani from view. "I need for you to go to the target range and report to Ironhide."

"Right away, sir." Bumblebee said, still shielding Dani.

"Well-get to it." Prowl ordered. Bumblebee nodded, but didn't leave. "What's this? You are disobeying a direct order?"

"No sir. I can't leave."

"And why not? Are you hiding something or someone?" Prowl asked, narrowing his optics.

Dani decided to pop out before Bumblebee got into deep trouble. "Dani!" Prowl said, his optics turning to a icy shade of blue. Dani shrunk back nervously. "Um, hi?" Dani asked.

"Hi. What are you doing out of bed?"

"I'm just going to the mess hall."

"Is that so?"

"Yes sir." Dani said, looking back at Bumblebee. "I think I'm lost, though. I don't ever remember going to the mess hall this way."

Prowl nodded. "I see. I will take you to the mess hall-"

"How can I find my way around if you're always toting me around?" Dani asked, not sure if she was sounding contrite or not.

"She's right." Bumblebee said. "She won't ever learn her way if we're always toting her around in our servos."

"You both are correct, but you have ran away before and-"

"I'm not running away!" Dani protested. "I, learned my lesson-and, and, I'm hungry! I want to eat before Sunstreaker comes after me and-" She said, wringing her hands in a nervous manner. "I-I won't run away-"

Prowl nodded. "I will help you go to the human mess hall."

"Oh. All right." Dani said. "Well, see you later, Bumblebee! It's nice meeting you again."

"See you." Bumblebee said stepping away and walking up the hall to the weapons' range.

-0-

Dani

Prowl and I walked to the mess hall. Prowl stood outside the door and I turned around, "Thank you Prowl."

"You are welcome. Enjoy your meal."

"Thanks." I said, retreating into the mess hall and standing on a small line. _"Maybe they're not that bad." _Dani thought.

-0-

Regular setting.

After her dinner, Dani sat in her chair, staring down at the table. Her mind completely absorbed in her memories of her Mom and Dad. They weren't always going away on missions. Her mother and father hardly ever argued over her disability. In fact, they never said they were disgraced by God or fell from grace. Dani laid her hands down on the table surface. She took a deep breath to keep from crying. Dani sniffled. How she missed her mother and father. Dani rubbed her nose with her hand and gasped. "Oh!" She had completely forgotten what Sunstreaker had said about hunting for her if she didn't come back after dinner. She stood up and left the dining room in a rush.

A few minutes later and four doors later, Dani got herself completely lost. "Oh! I'm so going to get it when I get back to Sunstreaker's apartment!" She grumbled. Then she remembered what she used to do when she got hopelessly lost. She yelled, "HELP ME! PLEASE HELP ME!"

Suddenly, loud clanging footsteps resounded through the hall and Dani jumped and ran away from the clanging footsteps of stampeding Pedes. Dani dove for cover as the pedes ran down the hall. "Shaggit." She said, when she thought the pedes were gone.

"Danielle Evans?" Dani heard Sideswipe's voice. She breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"At last!" Dani said, coming out from her cover.

"What were you doing?"

"I got lost and I-called for help?"

Sideswipe chuckled. "Made all the 'Bots go to the main hangar bay!"

"I wasn't trying to." Dani said.

"You were lost and what better way then to yell for help?" Sideswipe said.

"But I caused more trouble."

"No you didn't." Sideswipe said. "Where were heading to?"

"To your apartment?"

"Ah. I'll take you to our apartment." Sideswipe said, scooping her up. "Did you have a good dinner?"

"Yes." Dani said thoughtfully. "Um, I was wondering if you both wouldn't mind going with me next time?"

"I don't see why not. We can ask Sunstreaker."

-0-

Dani's POV

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe watched TV while I got ready for bed. Moments later, I went out of my room to wish them goodnight. Sideswipe smiled when he saw me. "Good night, Dani." Sideswipe said.

"Goodnight, Sideswipe." I said and he disappeared into his room.

I saw Sunstreaker sitting on the couch nursing something called 'High-Grade'. I've heard of how 'High-Grade' affected a Mech or a Femme's attitude. My mother and father never drank and something told me 'High Grade' was like beer. If you were to drink too much well they were intoxicated. "Um, Sunstreaker?" I asked gaining his attention "Could you please-" I looked down to the floor to gather my thoughts. "Could you please?" I gestured to my room. "Tuck me in?"

"You're old enough to go to bed." Sunstreaker said.

I breathed deeply and walked back into my room. I slipped into bed, wishing I had my Dad instead of having Sunstreaker as a guardian. I covered my head and closed my eyes. I drifted asleep.

-0-

The next morning, I awoke feeling better, hungry, and in need of a shower. After the shower, I prepped myself for breakfast and then left my room. I looked to the berth across my room. Sunstreaker looked different this morning. He was red and that set me off thinking it was someone else. I screamed which he jolted awake immediately. "What! What is it?" He shrieked. "How dare you disturb my recharge, Danielle Evans! What is the meaning of this?" I looked at him and said, "You're different."

"What?" He stood up and went to the bathroom. "AHHH! DANIELLE EVANS! GO TO YOUR ROOM! DO NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO GO OUT FOR THE DAY! YOU'RE GROUNDED FOR ANOTHER WEEK!"

"It wasn't me!" I said.

"Go to your room!" He growled, walking out of the bathroom.

"But I'm hungry!" I groaned.

"Then you should have thought about that before YOU painted me red!"

"I did not! Your bed is too high for me to get up there! Maybe you did it yourself."

"GO TO YOUR ROOM! I WILL NOT ASK AGAIN!"

"I-" the look on Sunstreaker's face was not what I was expecting and I rushed to my room.

I heard the door open and then close with a slam. I jumped and then rocked back and forth. "Not me! I didn't do it! Not me! I've been good!" I said hysterically. "I went to bed early."

-0-

Sunstreaker's POV

I marched straight to Prime's office and knocked. "Come in." I heard Optimus say. I opened the door and walk right into his office. I was so mad. Optimus did a double take. "What happened?"

"Well, apparently, our ward thought it was funny to paint me red! I warned her not to touch my paint job! I grounded her for a week."

"I will go talk to her-"

"Well, I left her in her room in my quarters. I told her to stay in there for the rest of the day. I'm going to get her breakfast."

-0-

Dani's POV

I hugged a pillow to my chest as I cried and rocked back and forth. I was working myself up to where I would be inconsolable. "Danielle Evans. Front and center." I heard Optimus order.

I rubbed my eyes and climbed off my bed, pillow still clutched to my chest. When I walked out of my room, I saw Optimus standing there, arms crossed. "The truth! Did you paint Sunstreaker red?"

"No sir." I said hoarsely. "Can't reach his bed anyway. It's too high."

"If you didn't paint him, who did?"

"I don't know." I said. "I went to bed last night early and I said goodnight to him."

I felt like he wasn't believing me. "Go to your room and stay there until you're called out of your room for breakfast."

"But I didn't do it!" I protested.

"I'm not blaming you." Optimus said. "I believe you did go to bed early because you just recovered from a bad virus. Now, I believe that someone else painted Sunstreaker red and I intend to find out. Now, go to your room."

I walked back to the safety of my room. I dried up my tears and waited hungrily for Sunstreaker to walk back into the apartment. I heard Optimus leave and Sunstreaker standing in the door. "She didn't paint my armor red?" Sunstreaker asked.

"No. She said she went to bed early and she said goodnight to you before she went to bed."

"I think I remember that! Oh Primus! I snapped at her!"

"You did? No wonder she was so upset."

"You mean she had another seizure?"

"No. When you left, she was crying and holding her pillow."

"Crying! Why did you ever assign me as her guardian in your place?"

"Because you need to learn that not all humans are terrible. Dani's not a terrible child. She's just a youngling who is just like you."

"I need to learn patience. I hurt her feelings and probably any trust I had with her."

"She trusts you and listens to you. Go give her some breakfast. I don't want her anymore stressed. You should apologize to her, though."

-0-

Sunstreaker's POV

Optimus left and I walked to the small room. I engaged my holoform and walked into the bedroom. I saw Dani sitting on her bed, pillow clutched to her chest and was looking down at the floor. Her face looked red and tears were falling from her cheeks. I lay the tray down on a table and walked over to her. I bent down and grabbed her shoulders. She jumped and then looked to see who was holding her shoulders. She recoiled, but I drew her closer. I gave her a hug and rubbed my hand on her back to calm her down. "I'm sorry, Dani." I said. "You did nothing wrong, Sweetspark."

She drew her hands out and hugged me. I waited for her to stop crying. When she did, she sniffled. I let her stay against my shoulder. I found out that she had lost her appetite for breakfast. After that, episode, I left her alone which felt wrong.

-0-

Dani's POV

After Sunstreaker left, I yearned for attention. I washed my face in the sink and I still felt terrible. I decided to go to the library. I was supposed to be resting, but I needed to get out of my room and out of Sunstreaker's apartment. I left the apartment and walked down the hall. I went to the kitchen for a snack and went outside from the kitchen delivery. The truck was there and I had half a mind to hide in there. But I didn't! I tried that already and guess what happened to me? I wasn't going to try that again.

I stood by the wall, eating my snack. I had skipped breakfast, but I was starving. I walked back into the kitchen and looked around for the refrigerator.

"Hey! Little girl! Shouldn't be in here."

I turned around to see a young man dressed in military fatigues. He had short brown hair and hazel eyes. I thought, "_Dad?"_ He looked my Dad and I gave a squeal of delight! "Daddy!" I exclaimed. "Oh Dad! I thought you were dead!" I ran to him and hugged him. "Daddy?" I asked and then his mouth sneered. "Daddy! What's wrong?"

"Shut up!" He said, clasping my upper arm.

"Daddy?"

"Shut the Slag up, Fleshling."

It was then I realized this wasn't my Dad! I screamed, "IRONHIDE! HELP! SOMEONE HELP!"

I heard running and Lennox, Epps, and other soldiers ran into the kitchen, guns aimed. "Let her go!"

"No! You give me what I want and I'll let the little Fleshling go!"

I might have done the stupidest thing, but I stomped on both of his feet. It startled him into letting me go and I ran, he reached out to grab me, but I flung myself down to the ground as Lennox opened fire with his gun. Then they all did. I crawled toward Lennox. I didn't look back as I crawled out of the kitchen. I stood up and then ran out of the dining room as fast as my legs could carry me. The sound of bullets now loud and deafening. I ran out into the Hangar, holding my ears. I didn't have time to think before someone grabbed me and pushed me into a red car. I literally screamed and a stern voice said, "Danielle Evans! It is me! Calm yourself."

I stopped screaming and looked around the car. I recognized Sunstreaker's dashboard and breathed a deep sigh of relief. "Daddy! It was my Daddy!"

"No, Sweetspark. It wasn't your Daddy! It was Pretender from the Decepticons!" I noticed that we were now speeding away from the base. I saw a silver Corvette following us, with Prowl's cruiser, Ironhide, and Optimus. Optimus, however, turned around and transformed. I watched as he had these two swords glowing bright orange. "Oh wow!" I said, in amazement. Then I saw Daddy emerge. "Daddy!" I yelled and Optimus sliced through him. I began crying. "Daddy! Optimus is a liar!" I yelled.

"Danielle Evans. Turn around and face the front, right now!" Sunstreaker ordered.

I turned around and sat down. "That wasn't your Daddy! That was a Pretender."

"Why did he look my Dad?" I demanded.

"They use Pretenders to get into places and we've just been found out, our base. Someone let him in, thinking he was still alive. Now, Dani. I want you to relax. You're safe."

"Yo, Redstreaker!" Skids said, catching up with him. "How do ya like ya paint job?"

"Ya, is so nice." Mudflap said, following his twin.

"Redstreaker?" I asked as Sunstreaker revved his engine angrily.

"Don't start, Dani."

"It's all cool." I said stifling a laugh.

Thank you for reviewing. As you know, I added eighteen when I shouldn't have. Don't worry. Nothing's changed about the next chapter. Don't forget to review. :)


	18. Chapter 18 On the Road Again

Chapter 18: Chapter 18 On the Road Again

Chapter Eighteen

The windows tinted all of a sudden and I heard the growl of two engines. I heard several different explosions and wondered what was going on out there.

"What's going on?" I asked, trying to look outside, but couldn't."

Sunstreaker didn't answer, but sped up instead as a response.

I began to feel scared and took off the seatbelt. I slid down the seat, toward the floor board. "Where do you think you're going, Dani?"

I didn't answer, but Sunstreaker's holoform appeared in the driver's seat and looked down at me. He saw a flicker of fear crossing my eyes.

"You're safe. You can't sit there. It's too dangerous."

Instead of answering, I stared at him and my eyes lowered than looked at him. I lay my head on the seat and felt a hand stroking my ear. "All right then, you're scared. That much I know. But you are safe now. No one will hurt you."

"He tried to hurt me. My Daddy tried to hurt me!"

"Dani. That wasn't your Daddy. As I have said, it was a Decepticon Pretender. It's job was to get you and those stones."

I climbed up onto the seat and looked at his holoform. "What's going to happen now?"

Sunstreaker didn't answer as the windows became clear. I saw that we were on the high-way again. "Where are we going now?" I asked.

"You're not going anywhere. You are going straight to Autobot City."

"Autobot City?" I asked. "More of you guys?"

"Yes."

I went silent. "Who's there?"

"Well, a lot more of us than you know."

I looked at him and asked, "Was my Daddy stationed there?"

Sunstreaker looked at her and said, "No. He was stationed right where you were before he passed."

"Oh. I'm hungry." I told him as my stomach growled.

"I'll get you something to eat."

"You will?"  
"I'm not heartless."

"I know." I said, leaning back into the seat. Sunstreaker wasn't leading, but Prowl was.

Prowl said, "As soon as we put distance from those 'Cons, we will get you something to eat, Danielle."

"Okay. I've got a question? How come you talk through the radio? I've always wondered."

"We're autonomous robotic organisms. We are like walking computers. It makes it easier to convey messages to each other if we have an organic in the front seat."

"Okay." I said. "That's cool."

I looked out the window and watched the other cars. Then I saw a familiar car speeding up to us. "Oh! Look! It's Barricade!" I exclaimed.

"Follow me!" Barricade said.

"What?" Prowl asked.

"Follow me!"

Barricade rushed forward and got in front of Prowl. "Why should we trust you!" Sunstreaker asked.

"Because I'm the only chance that you're going to get if you want to save Danielle from Megatron!" the scout said.

I didn't say a word, but looked shocked at the police car.

"What makes you so special?" Sunstreaker growled.

"What makes me so special, Redstreaker is that I'm going to get your afts safely..."

"You have a lot of nerve!"

"I have a lot of nerve?" Barricade sneered. "I saved Danielle life from those slagheads!"

"Language!" Prowl said. "We have a youngling with us."

"What's a slaghead?" I asked.

"Great! Aft-head! You just taught her a new curse word."

"What's an aft-head?" I asked, getting myself further into trouble.

"So did you, real intelligent, Mech!"

"So slaghead and afthead are curse words?"

"Yes. Say it one more time and I will leave you with Ironhide."

"What do they mean?"

"Never you mind!" Prowl said sharply.

"I'll just ask Optimus then if you won't tell me."

"That's enough." Sunstreaker admonished. "No more talking. Play the silent game or something!"

"Hey! You need two people to play that!" I exclaimed.

"No you don't." Sunstreaker said. "Time begins now. Be quiet!"

"Cranky Mech!" I said.

"Danielle Evans! Not one single word."

I looked at the holoform and then made a zipping motion to my lips.

The air in the car was silent, but I became more restless. I reached toward the radio and flipped it on. "What are you doing?" Sunstreaker asked.

"Music?" I asked. A horrible grating song came out and I switched the knob to something much better. "Don't like rap! Hurts my ears!"

"What does? The instruments?"

"Yes." I said, rubbing my ears. "Loud noises. I can't take a lot of loud noises."

"Then you and Jazz wouldn't make a good team." Sunstreaker said.

"Why?"

"Let's just say that if you were living in Jazz's quarters, you would be rocking back and forth."

"Most likely. But I'd also be screaming and holding my ears."

After about twenty to thirty minutes, my stomach growled and I leaned forward as if in pain.

"Danielle? Are you all right?"

"Just never got around to eating." I mumbled.

"Dani! How come you didn't tell us?"

"I did." I said. "Prowl promised he would let us pull over somewhere for me to eat!"

"Well, you see that we're far from any eating establishment."

"I know! But when I've gone without any food for a while, it hurts!"

Sunstreaker scanned the highway for any other Decepticon signals. He only found one in front of him, but Barricade sped up again, leaving them.

"Is he leaving us permanently!"

"Turn at the next exit!" Barricade hissed. "I'll be there momentarily."

I watched him race down the highway as Ironhide sped forward with Optimus beside him! I lurched forward again in pain as Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, and Prowl merged off the highway. Sunstreaker turned immediately into a 'McDonalds'.

"What do you want?" He growled.

"Double cheeseburger Kids' meal."

"You know how unhealthy that is!" Ratchet grumbled from the radio.

"Yes! And it tastes real good, too."

"Be quiet while I order your meal-"

I waited patiently as Sunstreaker placed my order. "What do you want to drink?"

"Sprite."

"When you are at Autobot City, I'm going to make sure you don't eat that 'junk' Dani!"

"Oh really?" I asked.

"Yes."

"How? You aren't cooking my meals."

Sunstreaker drove off, handing me my bag. "Thanks." I said, lunging into the bag and unwrapping the double cheeseburger. I savored the taste.

"Oh, Dani?" Ratchet finally asked after a while.

"Mmmm?" I asked, my mouth full.

"That's the last time you consume 'junk' food."

"This is so good! It's tastes so wonderful! Yummy! Mmmm!"

"Don't you dare get any crumbs on my seat or in my floor!" Sunstreaker warned.

"What crumbs?"

"Don't you play innocent with me!" Sunstreaker said. "I noticed what you did the last time you ate in my alt-form! You left all these chocolate crumbs in my seat! You didn't even tell me!"

"I'm sorry about that! Why didn't you tell me you didn't want me eating in here?"

"Because I understood that you were hungry and didn't mean that! But if you eat in here and there's crumbs, I will, so help me Primus-"

"Okay! I get it! Be careful when I eat this and don't drip my Sprite anywhere!" I exclaimed. I quickly finished my meal and drank my Sprite. I looked out the window and felt myself getting apprehensive and nervous. I didn't know where this 'Autobot City' was and it seemed that we were going cross country and the thought of 'home' weighed heavily on my chest. I closed my eyes, thinking about all that was familiar to me and now being thrust into an unknown world around me. I open my eyes and look at Sunstreaker's holoform. I needed to tell him I was getting afraid and hoped he wouldn't mind me clinging to his arm. Both his arms were on the steering wheel, but they were 'acting' like he was steering. I moved over toward him and wrapped my arms around him. I closed my eyes.

"What's wrong, Dani?"

"Changes. I'm scared of changes! I don't want to leave home."

"We'll be back home within an hour."

I continued to hold onto his arm, not relinquishing my grip. He looked down at me and I looked at him. "You should be sitting up instead of lying halfway on the console and me." Sunstreaker said.

"Hold me, please?" I asked, releasing my arms from his arm. He looked momentarily shocked.

-0-

Sunstreaker's POV

I commed Optimus immediately.

::Optimus! Dani's reacting very differently!::

::How different?::

::She's asking me to hold her. Is that normal human behavior?::

::If she is needing comfort or is afraid, then yes. It is normal human behavior.::

Sunstreaker moved his arm and laid his hand on her shoulder. He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Nothing to be afraid of, Dani. Change is good for you."

"I don't like changes. It confuses me." I heard her say.

"We can easily explain things for you."

"Thanks." She said. "Why do we have to go to another state? Isn't Autobot City in Tennessee?"

"No. We've based our City into one of the warmest places. We expect you to stay indoors unless accompanied by one of us."

"How warm?"

"Not hot enough to toast you. Just warm. We've got shields all over the base to keep the temperature comfortable enough for your species and ours."

"Those good?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm happy." She said yawning. "I think I'll take a nap now."

"Yes. That would be a good idea, Dani." Sunstreaker said, pushing her back into the seat and reclining it so she was comfortable. She closed her eyes and took a nap.


	19. Chapter 19 Barricade and Pierce

Barricade helped the Autobots but was chased away by Optimus and Ironhide in the last chapter. What was his reason for helping them? It's unusual for a Decepticon to help foes, but maybe Barricade has a soft spot in his Spark for Younglings and doesn't like it when it comes to Dani or in this case, Pierce. This takes place before meeting Dani for the second time. Pierce gets a little surprise when he finds out Barricade likes him. Likes him as a pet!

This is Barricade's POV. (This goes a little back.)

Chapter Nineteen

I helped those Autobot scum until Ironhide and Optimus raced down the highway. I sped away, knowing I was a coward, but Starscream told Megatron once that cowards live to fight another day. All that was going through my processor was Dani. She was important to me! I couldn't let the idiots in the Decepticon Army get their claws on her.

I had noticed from the start that she was a lot different than most fleshlings around her. I don't know why Megatron dispatches idiots to retrieve the girl. It shouldn't be that way! These idiots are the ones who beat the slag out of me, trying to get me to submit to their will. I'm a scout, but I'm not useless! I scouted out Dani before any of the idiots realized where she lived. It was only by chance that I met Dani and that was when she was being picked on after the prison called school.

Dani had been bullied and I dislike bullies. There are many bullies in the Decepticon ranks and no one gets away with bullying me. If they do, I beat the slag out of them. Dani's case wasn't similar to mine. After tracing Dani, I decided to follow her bully to his house. It didn't help when I found that the bully that had picked on Dani, was picked on at home by his stepmother and stepfather. I listened to the argument and saw to my shock, Pierce Antony getting slapped across the face by his stepmother and then beaten by his stepfather. I felt my Energon boiling at this sight and engaged my holoform. I marched up to the door and knocked. The door flew open and I saw Pierce standing there, eyes widening, though hunched over in obvious pain. He remembered me and I said, "I've got a report from the neighbor there's domestic violence in this house and I do not approve of that type of behavior."

"Neighbor? Who?" a red faced man asked.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss this neighbor." Barricade said in a dangerous voice. "Pierce Antony. Get your clothes and valuables. You have five minutes to pack and if you are not packed, I am coming to get you."

"Y-yes s-sir." Pierce stammered and went to pack his clothes as his father glared at me.

"That boy belongs to me! I don't know who you are!"

"You see. The boy did belong to you until you began abusing him."

Pierce Antony walked toward the cop, but stopped because his stepfather blocked him from leaving. "You aren't go anywhere!" his stepfather hissed.

I moved and pushed Pierce's stepfather aside and gestured to the shocked boy.  
"Get to my cruiser! Now!" I growled an order.

Pierce wasted no time running out to the cruiser and watched in amazement as the backseat door open on it's own accord. Pierce flinched and then slid into the safety of the cruiser. The door closed and all the doors locked. Pierce watched as the officer punched his stepfather in the face, knocking him unconscious. Then the man shimmered out of view and Pierce gave a terrifying scream. He tried to get out, but the car growled and the engine started. I sped out of the driveway, driver-less. It was then, Pierce wasn't as tough as he was when around Dani. It was then I understood why Pierce picked on Dani. I didn't speak to Pierce while I drove. Pierce didn't know what to think and stiffened up as I tried to warm his seat. He wasn't taking it well, and seeing a driver-less car roaring down the road with him in the back wasn't what any human child ever saw or wanted to do. Let's just say I did enjoy his fear, but for a little while. I felt my Spark soften half-heartedly when he asked, "W-where a-are y-you t-taking m-me?" He was stammering and his heart was racing.

"Away! Far from that man!" I answered.

"Y-you're n-not r-really a c-cop, a-are y-you?" he asked.

"I play a cop to blend in with my surroundings."

Pierce leaned back in the seat, but there was still a lingering fear that I could sense on him. "S-sorry a-about p-picking o-on D-Dani."

"You shouldn't apologize to me. You should apologize to her and what you've put her through." I told him. "You should also apologize about tearing up her work."

"A-are w-we going to Dani's house?"

"No."

"Then where?"

I noticed that he wasn't stammering anymore. "You're staying with me for a little while."

"Why?"

"If my foes realize you're in the backseat of my car, they wouldn't dare dream hurting me. So get real comfortable, Pierce. You're in for a ride."

I kept a few of my sensors on the boy and watched him fidget. I enjoyed him fidgeting, but found out after awhile, the fidgeting got on my nerves. "Sit still!" I commanded.

"I'm sorry! I just have to go to the bathroom! I didn't go when I left!"

"Fine! You tell anyone about me, you'll face a punishment!"

"I won't!" Pierce said in a nervous tone.

I pulled over at a small store and let him out. I saw him rush into the bathroom and then rush back out to me. He slid into the car without being told he had to. He sat still now, but he was quieter than usual. I didn't press the issue as I drove and enjoyed the relative silence.

"You know, Pierce. I think you would make a good pet for me. I think I will keep you." I later commented.

"Pet?" He asked.

"Yes, pet. You're obedient, don't argue, and don't escape."

Pierce later insisted he had to go eat, but didn't have any money. It was then after supplying my new pet with the means to eat, he sat in the dining area for a long time before trying his first escape from me. I scouted him out and 'dragged' him to the car, kicking and screaming for help. Apparently, Pierce didn't want to be a pet so I disciplined him for causing a scene. Then on, I didn't let him out of the car except to do his business and eat which I supervised under my holoform.

The only time I ever left him alone was when I was called away and when I went to pick up Pierce, he was gone. He had escaped again and that's when I scouted him running. I smirked and followed him. Then I cornered him and 'dragged' him back to my form. His escape attempts were much more frequent now. A desperation to get away from me, but I had to find a way to curb his escape. I found an abandoned warehouse and put him into his new room, leaving him with a few days of rations. I locked the door and left to find Dani.

Several days later, I checked on my pet and found that he had managed to escape. I was angry and I scouted around the warehouse. I didn't find him around the warehouse. I decided to search for him and found him. When he saw me, he froze and then started running away from me. I took after him and caught up with him in the alley. By then, I noticed that all the fight of him had left and he went willingly into my backseat. I didn't press the issue of this and thought of how easy it was to subdue a human into subservience. Instead of returning to the warehouse, I drove to where the Autobots were and headed in their direction. I told them to follow me and then Optimus and Ironhide chased me, but let me go! They knew a certain pet was in the backseat. It had worked. They wouldn't hurt humans!

Poor Pierce: First picking on Dani. Second: Being 'abused' at home by his stepfather and stepmother. And now being a pet to Barricade. Please R and R. Thank you.


	20. Chapter 20 Autobot City

Chapter 20 Autobot City

Dani awakes in the middle of nowhere and is confused. She wonders why and finds out.

Thanks to Purrpix, Kate Salvatore-Hale, Keacdragon, xxJazz'sgirlxx, White Fairy Writer, Aerith the Evenstar for all their reviews.

_Purrpix: "_T_his story is good i keep following it, why is optimus so mean though? the autobots seem so harsh in this story. I love the story still it's different and a different take on Optimus's character. Ill be looking forward to seeing more. ^_^" _An Alternative Universe story. There's a nice Optimus in almost all the stories I've read. What if there was a different kind of Optimus, an Optimus you didn't know? Optimus' character is based on a 'A Harsh Military Commander and Strict Father' who only wants best for Dani. Dani simply refuses to listen and attempts to do things that he doesn't approve. Live beings have attitudes. I try not to make the Autobots seem harsh, but the story has a life of it's own and they are harsher than what you might be used to. Prowl's harsh too, but makes up to Dani after he discovers that Dani contracted an Earth virus. Thank you, Purrpix. :)

Chapter Twenty

Dani's POV

Slowly stirring from my nap, I noticed that Sunstreaker was still driving. I saw Optimus' trailer in front of us and I was even more confused when I saw his brake lights flash and Sunstreaker slowed down to a stop.

"Sunstreaker?" I asked sleepily.

"Go back to sleep." He whispered.

"Where are we?"

"We're stopped at a checkpoint. Go back to sleep."

"How come Optimus and Ironhide went after Barricade and then stopped?"

"Because he had a human in his backseat." Sunstreaker ground out.

"What?"

"A human in his backseat."

"What did this human look like?" I asked.

"He had a fourteen year old male."

"Fourteen year old boy? Like around my age group?"

"Yes. You should sleep."

"I can't sleep now. We've got to rescue that boy."

"No we don't." Sunstreaker said. "We'll rescue him when you are safely inside the base. Right now, you need to go back to sleep. It's in the middle of the night."

I frowned. "I slept all day?" I asked.

"Yes." he said. "You see, Ratchet determined you needed to sleep all the way to the base. He sedated you with a mild sedative."

"Why?"

"I had a job to do and I couldn't let you see the Decepticons." Sunstreaker remarked.

"You mean Barricade came back?"

"No."

"Oh." I said, looking out at Optimus' lights. He began to move forward and I saw a small station pass by and I went to hug Sunstreaker's holoform, but my arm met empty air. He hadn't engaged his holoform. Optimus picked up speed and I saw a shimmer. Sunstreaker picked up speed and drove through the shimmer. "What's that?" I asked.

"Scanner. It scans Decepticon signatures and if it ever does, we go on red alert and every weapon around the City engages. That is unless the scan comes back with a human passenger. So, if Barricade decided to drop by for a visit, our weapons wouldn't fire on him."

"Oh. Is that good?"

"He's a Decepticon."

"I know he is." I retorted. "But if he has a Pretender?"

"Our weapons are smart weapons. They know the difference between organic and machine."

"I didn't know." I watched as a huge rock face appeared and I froze. "You might want to slow down! That's a rock face."

"That isn't real." Sunstreaker said.

"Sure it's real! If I touched-"

"You'd be vaporized. Another part of our defense system is camouflage. We certainly don't want uninvited visitors."

Optimus drove through the rock face and disappeared. Sunstreaker followed him and I felt a tingle. I found I almost wanted to scream for help. "What was that?"

"You were just scanned. Happens to all humans."

"Oh." I said, trying to look around. There were lights outside of dark buildings. One building's lights immediately turned on and a large door rumbled open.

Internal Comm

::Sunstreaker. Take Dani to your and Sideswipe's apartment. Make sure you do not wake her up. We can answer her questions in the morning.:: Optimus ordered.

::She's already awake and asking questions.::

::Tell her to go back to sleep.::

::She refuses to go back to sleep. Perhaps it is best if we get her settled in first and then get her to go back to bed.::

::Do what you can. I have to talk to Red Alert.::

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe split off from Optimus and I began saying, "Wait! Where's Optimus going? Aren't we supposed to follow him?"

"No. We're heading to our apartment."

They turned right and slowed down in front of one of the buildings. A red light blinked and the entire structure's lights flipped on and a door rumbled open. Light poured out from the opening and Sunstreaker pulled into a big hangar. For a moment, I sat there, letting my eyes adjust, but everything looked so supersized! Two big couches, a large flat screen TV hung on the far right wall. It looked like a lounge and completely forgot that the door was open. I slowly left the car, feeling a intimidated. My eyes widened at the large room and then I closed my eyes. I didn't hear Sunstreaker and Sideswipe change forms.

"I'm going to watch TV." Sideswipe announced, walking over to the couch and jumping over on to it, causing a metallic 'Boom'. "You'd better check on Dani. It looks like she's got sensory overload." Sunstreaker shook his helm and looked to Dani. She had her eyes clenched and her arms flapping up and down.

"Dani?" He said, bending down to my level. I felt him moving down to me. "Are you all right?"

I nodded. "Yes." I gritted out.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. It's just so bright in here."

"Lower lighting level to 75 percent."

The lights lowered to a bearable level. "Better, Dani?"

I nodded and yawned a huge yawn. Sunstreaker picked me up and said, "See. You need to recharge yourself. Never mind about what we do now. We don't need eight or ten hours of sleep like you do."

Sunstreaker walked into another room where there was just a huge table. I watched wearily pull my bed and furniture from subspace. He placed my stuff on the table along with a modified toilet area. "Now, this will be your temporary room."

"What is it?"

"An office." He said. "Good night."

"Good night." I said, "Could you leave the light on a little bit? I need to go to the bathroom."

"I'll be back in a few minutes to check on you."

"Okay." I said. I watched the door open and then closed. I ran to the bathroom and relieved myself. I washed my hands and then left the bathroom. I looked at my bed and sunk to my knees. I put my hands together, and prayed, "Dear God. Please help that boy who's stuck in the backseat of Barricade. Help him get out. Please make Optimus understand me and stop him from being so mean to me. Please bless my Mom and Dad. Please tell them I love them and I miss them. Please keep me safe, Amen."

"Dani? What were you doing?" Sunstreaker asked. I didn't know he had come back into my temporary room.

"Praying."

"Praying?"

"Yes. I prayed for the boy who's stuck with Barricade."

"Why?"

"For his release." I said.

"Do you know his name?"

"No."

"The boys name is Pierce Antony."

I looked at him. "What? The Pierce Antony?"

"Yes."

I felt guilty and I knew that his parents must be worried sick about him. I even felt worse then before and the need to run away again.

"We must go rescue him."

"Absolutely not." Sunstreaker said. "I didn't drive you all the way-" he trailed off when he saw my expression.

"Look!" I said sharply. "I know that Pierce Antony is my bully, but he doesn't deserve that! He doesn't deserve anything that's happening now! He's an innocent bystander. He might have picked on me, but he's my age! He's my peer! I didn't do anything wrong but be different from the rest of my classmates!" I paused in my rant. "All I knew from Optimus is cruelty and did you know that he questioned me so sharply when I was with Ironhide? Did you know he yelled at me when I was captured! Did you know what I went through when I went out with Prowl? Did you know anything at all!" I said, tears falling down my cheeks. "Prowl took me to Juvee Hall and left me in a cell for five long minutes, alone and afraid. I always thought that the Autobots were supposed to be the good guys!"

"Thought I heard someone yelling in here and it wasn't you, Sunny." Sideswipe said, walking into the room.

"Don't call me that!" Sunstreaker said.

"Lighten up, Bro!" Sideswipe exclaimed, clapping a hand on his back. "She's venting at 1 in the morning."

"You go to sleep and we'll discuss this in the morning with Optimus."

"No. We're not going to Optimus. He'll refuse!"

"And I'm not going against his orders!" Sunstreaker said. "So you can actually put that thought out of your head!"

"You're a liar! All of you! You don't care about me! You only care about those stupid stones! I wish Mom never found those stones and crushed them beneath her feet if she did! I wish you never found those stones!"

"Enough." Sunstreaker ordered. "Go to bed."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Sunstreaker, let me talk to her. You know you're not helping this case." Sideswipe said.

Sunstreaker left, shaking his helm. Sideswipe waited until he was sitting in front of the TV. Sideswipe gave the command for the door to close.

I stood there, looking at Sideswipe. "Don't tell me you came to chew me out." I said, wiping my eyes on my sleeve.

"No." Sideswipe said softly. "You're the first human I've ever known to stand up against Sunstreaker."

"I'm sorry. I just don't like seeing people hurt."

"Barricade won't hurt him. Ironhide told me that Barricade has a plan for the both of you."

"How do you know this?"

"Ironhide and Barricade had an internal comm before he fled. He wants you and Pierce together to-"

"Oh no. He picked on me-"

"I know he picked on you, but Barricade feels he owes you an apology."

"Oh! But how would you sneak me out if Barricade feels he owes me an apology?"

"I wouldn't sneak you out. Optimus isn't usually like this."

"Like what? Mean?"

Sideswipe glanced at me. "Yes. He isn't usually mean to any form of life. He's usually more understanding to all forms of life."

"But why's he so mean to me?" I asked Sideswipe.

"Have you ever heard of Elita?"

"No. Who's Elita?"

"Elita was Optimus' Sparkmate. Optimus lost his Sparkmate and Sparkling in Egypt when the Fallen was trying to engage the sun harvester."

"Sparkling? What's a Sparkling?"

"A baby."

"Oh. So what happened?" I asked, slipping into bed and covering myself up. Sideswipe engaged his holoform and tucked me in.

"Well, Optimus was torn for several weeks and before he met you, he made a silent promise that if any and I mean _any _children were to come into base, he would do everything he could do to keep them safe. Optimus is grieving for the loss of Elita and their unborn Sparkling."

"But why is he so mean?"

"He's angry because the Sparkling would've been born last week. He keeps to himself now and it's affected all of us."

"Even Sunstreaker?"

"Yes. You see, there's levels of grief and it has almost consumed him until you came around. When he saw your level of energy, he became angry at you."

"I'm a child."

"I understand this, Dani. But you've got to learn lessons on trust."

"I trust Prowl, you, Ironhide, Sunstreaker, and Ratchet."

"I know you trust the four of us. But I want you to know there are more than us. You've got to learn how to trust all of us. I think that's what makes Optimus mad at you as well. He sees that you trust some of us, but not all of us."

"Why's Optimus stern with me?"

"He's stern because he doesn't want to lose you like he lost Elita, sweetspark."

"Oh." I said, yawning. I lay back into my pillow and watched his holoform. "What if I were to talk to him? Would he be angry and mean to me?"

"I don't know. You can try." Sideswipe said. "Go to sleep, now. You're tired and you're going to have a lot of trouble waking up in the morning for your next lesson."

I stretched and nodded. I closed my eyes and listened to as the door opened and the light dimmed for me to sleep. I heard muffled sounds and listened to that and drifted into a nice sleep.

It took me some time to write this chapter. Don't forget to read and review. Thank you. :)


	21. Chapter 21 Barricade and Pierce

Barricade and Pierce are traveling down the highway heading to an unknown destination. Meanwhile, Pierce is unable to sleep and Barricade intends to find out why. Pierce is a keeper of secrets and tries his best to hide his discomfort from Barricade, but fails.

Chapter Twenty-One

Pierce and Barricade

Pierce didn't say anything to Barricade and lay on his side, keeping an eye on the holoform. He was tired, but felt afraid to sleep especially with the holoform's glare focused at him. Pierce drew himself up into a ball and tried to make himself smaller. He was so very afraid and wished it didn't hurt his body when he did that. The remainder of the bruises from his stepfather hurt and couldn't find a good place to sleep on the uncomfortable backseat. He moved his legs away from his body, but couldn't stretch them out like he did on his bed. There wasn't a lot of room for his legs. He wished he could just fall asleep.

"If you do not go to sleep, I will sedate you myself." Barricade growled.

Pierce knew better than to talk back to the Mech, but did it anyway! His stepfather taught him any kind of back talk would be dealt with a belt across his back. "Well, if you would stop at a motel, I'd sleep more comfortably!"

Barricade revved his engine as he spoke, "I do not think so! I will not have you escaping me again."

Pierce didn't say anything and began to feel exhausted. All he wanted was to sleep. He was trying to fight it, but moaned when he went to lay down on the seat. "Sit up." Barricade ordered.

Pierce hesitantly sat up and felt a warm hand on his back. He flinched. The hand rolled up his shirt. Barricade growled, "Who gave this bruise?"

"I deserve it." Pierce said.

"Lay on your stomach."

Pierce lay on his stomach and Barricade looked at the bruises lining all over his back. "These look fresh. Why did you not tell me you had these?"

Pierce flinched, "No one listens to me." He really felt like crying and held his tears in check. It was sign of weakness when he did cry. He cried only when he was alone and his stepfather wasn't there. Barricade rolled the shirt back.

"Who did this to you and answer me truthfully."

Pierce hesitated. "My stepfather." He said so softly that Barricade almost missed hearing what Pierce said. "He does this when I back talk him."

"Lay on your stomach if this hurts you."

Pierce nodded. "Yes, sir."

Pierce lay his head on the seat, but couldn't get comfortable enough. He tried to lay on his side, but that was bad, too. Suddenly, the seat became softer. Almost like sinking into a soft foam mattress. "Thank you." He said finally succumbing to sleep. When Barricade checked the time, it was after 3:00. The kid wouldn't wake up in time for breakfast.

Rage flowed through his Energon lines. How could someone 'use' a child as a punching bag? He sent several officers to the house and silently took pictures of the bruises on Pierces' back while he slept.

"Pierce. I will protect you." He muttered and made a promise not to let anyone hurt his pet.

Sorry this chapter's short. Please R and R. Thank you for the reviews.


	22. Chapter 22 Dani and Optimus

Optimus and Dani have a discussion of sorts and Dani learns how to trust Optimus or does she? Pierce and Barricade are there, too.

Chapter 22

Regular POV

Dani awoke late in the afternoon and heard a heated argument. Dani got up and walked to the bathroom. After relieving herself, she readied herself, despite the argument.

Dani tried her best to ignore the argument, but it was scary to her and she began to rock back and forth to calm herself down. Then there was a 'crash' and Dani jumped up from her bed and hugged herself. She didn't know what was going on out there and tried her hardest to ignore what was going on out in the main room.

-0-

Dani's POV

After the argument, it went silent. Suddenly, the door opened and Optimus walked into the room. I waited until he had come over to the table and then bent down to look at me.

"Hi." I said shyly.

"I'm glad you decided to join us," Optimus said gently.

"Thanks. I couldn't sleep last night and I heard this argument out in the main room. Was it about me?"

Optimus drew in a sigh. "No. It wasn't about you."

"Thank goodness." I said. "Um, I'm sorry about your-" I trailed off slightly embarrassed. It wasn't easy for me to talk. "I'm sorry about Elita."

Optimus' eyes narrowed and took on a dark shade of blue. I didn't know that his eyes could turn a darker shade of blue like to black. Optimus vented and then his eyes softened. I didn't want him to yell at me. "How did you find out about Elita One?" He asked, his voice softer than I had heard him talk.

"I thought you might have been angry at me because of all the things I've done to leave."

Optimus drew in air. "I'm not angry with you for finding out about certain things, but to run away makes it all the hardest for us to trust you. I might have lost my temper with you several times because of your actions. I've lost my temper with my troops which is why they probably seem a bit 'harsher' than they usually are."

"It's not how harsh they are. It's like they're angry and taking out their aggression on me. I didn't have anything to do with this war and it's not my fault Dad died. I didn't assign him to do anything."

"No. That was me." Optimus said.

I froze and that's when I felt something break. My heart dropped to my feet and Optimus continued, "We both lost someone we loved with our hearts and sparks. We cannot get them back no matter how hard we wish them they were here." Optimus paused, then lifted a finger and pointed at my heart. "They will live in here. In your heart. As long as you remember your father, he will be in your heart. As long as you remember," He trailed his finger up to my head, "your times together, he will live in your memories and when you think that he's gone from your life, he is watching you from heaven to help guide and protect you." Optimus used the word 'Heaven' to help Dani understand better. "I've lost Elita One to an awful battle in Egypt as she was getting to Sam and Mikaela. It wasn't anyone's fault that she left. I tried to get her to stay far from the battle, but she was a tough femme. She wouldn't listen to me and fought bravely until her death. I felt I was the one to blame to let her fight and I knew she was carrying our Sparkling. I knew everything, but she always claimed that if anything happened to Mr and Mrs Evans, she made me promise, to take good care of their only daughter, Danielle, if something happened to them. And here you are." Optimus said.

I was speechless.

"Now, I know you're having trouble comprehending what I say because it was too long. I'm responsible for you and I have my men look after you because being a leader is demanding work. I have my men who are off from patrol watch you while I coordinate attacks on the Decepticons..."

"What about Pierce?" I interrupted. "I know he's a bully! But he doesn't deserve that. He doesn't deserve any kind of fate like that."

Optimus nodded, "There's a difference between Barricade and Pierce. Barricade has a guardian bond."

"Guardian bond? Like when you assigned Sunny to me."

"Don't let him hear you call him that." Optimus warned.

"I'm sure he heard me if he's out there."

"No. He left in a rush after a fight with Sideswipe. Happens all the time with brothers. Back to Barricade and Pierce. Barricade discovered Pierce's secret..."

"How did you find out?"

"Well, he's in Autobot City now. He talked with me this morning while you were sleeping."

"Oh. Is Pierce okay?"

"Yes. He's staying with Barricade. We assigned him an apartment. Right now, he's under house arrest to prove he can be trusted. Pierce, however, was keeping a huge secret from Barricade and he found out. He made a promise that he wouldn't let anyone hurt him anymore. Barricade's asked to be made legal guardian to Pierce and I was thinking of letting you and Pierce work out their disagreements between each other while you eat lunch."

"What if he's mean to me?"

"He won't be mean if I'm there. We're having lunch in Barricade's apartment."

"Pierce under house arrest?"

"No. Just Barricade."

"Okay." I said hesitantly. "I'll go."

Sorry for another short chapter. It must mean this story is coming to an end. Thank you for the reviews. Don't forget to R&R.


	23. Chapter 23: Pierce and Ratchet

Pierce finds himself in Autobot City and meets his first Autobot. Pierce can no longer hide what his step-parents have done to him and reveals to Dani about what went on behind closed doors.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Pierce wakes up to find himself on a soft bed and his bruises don't hurt for the first time in his life. He looks around the dimly lit room and wonders where he is. Then he realized that his stepfather was going to walk in soon and yell at him to get up. He had a blasting headache, close to a migraine and he felt tired. He turned over on his side, covering his head up with a pillow. He heard the door open and try to burrow into the covers. Someone walked over to his bed and pulled the sheet and blanket off him. Pierces' pillow was picked up from his head. _"Ohhh!"_

"When do you plan on getting up?" Pierce heard a new voice ask. Pierce didn't know who this voice was.

Pierce knew if he spoke, he'd be beaten.

"Mr Antony. You slept long enough and it's time to get out of bed." the same voice said.

Pierce didn't answer, but a metal finger gently rolled him to his back. He clenched his eyes closed, waiting for the beatings to start. But none came. "Mr Antony. My name is Ratchet. I'm the Chief Medical Officer of the Autobot Army."

Pierce didn't know and opened an eye. He saw a towering Mech looming over him and Pierce began to blubber apologies and excuses, "I'm sorry. I won't sleep in anymore. I'll do anything, don't hurt me, please."

"No one's going to hurt you." Ratchet said. "I'm worried that you've got damage and I have scanned you while you were asleep. Your ribs are fractured and you have to be bedridden for quite sometime. Optimus Prime, our leader is on his way to meet you with Dani."

Pierce tried to sit up, but found his body was too exhausted.

"Your body needs to heal. You've got numerous contusions, belt lashes, and other damage to your body. I'm surprised that you even were able to move without hurting."

"He's going to find me and get me."

"No he won't." Barricade's voice said from the door way. "I took care of your step-parents. They will not touch you."

"But you can't keep me here." He protested.

"Yes, until you come of age." Barricade remarked. "You see, I've decided to adopt you. I'm not going to let some organic fool abuse a child just because he's smaller than they are and stronger. An organic shouldn't beat his or her own child no matter how mad they are."

"But you're all machines."

"We're called cybertronians and we're very much alive. We're not machines." Barricade said. "The Autobots call themselves Autonomous Robotic Organisms."

"What about you?" Pierce asked Barricade.

"I am a cybertronian. I used to scout for the Decepticons."

"Used to?"

"Yes-"

"Barricade, for the child to feel better, he has to eat." Ratchet interjected.

"I have to go to the bathroom first."

Pierce did want to get up, but when two holoforms appeared by his bedside, he jumped. Then he accepted their help to the bathroom. Both gave him his privacy. When he emerged from the bathroom, he saw a tray table with food on it. He wobbled over to the table and sat down on his soft bed. Ratchet watched him carefully while he ate and drank. Pierce tried to stay sitting up, but Ratchet shook his helm. "No. You need to rest. Lie back."

Pierce did what he was told and lay back in his pillows. "Um, Ratchet? Is Dani okay?" he asked.

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"I teased her and tore up her books she writes. I haven't seen her so torn up over a stupid piece of paper." he said guiltily.

Ratchet narrowed his eyes and then answered, "Perhaps she was torn up because you tore apart of her life. You weren't happy at home so decided to make someone who was happy with something, sad."

"But I didn't mean to!"

"You didn't mean to?" Ratchet echoed, anger beginning form up in his optics and face. "Do you know what it feels like when you work hard on something only to get it torn from your hands and ripped to pieces?"

"No. Instead, my Stepfather and Stepmother took out their frustrations on me."

Pierce looked minutely at Ratchet. Seeing the anger, his eyes flooded with tears. He couldn't stop crying and furiously rubbed his eyes.

Ratchet had been furious when Pierce had admitted tearing up Dani's books. He softened and attempted to comfort Pierce.

Pierce accepted his comfort and he hiccuped. "I'm sorry." He said, wiping his cheeks on his sheet.

"You'll feel much better once you've apologized to Dani."

Pierce nodded and felt a hand on his side. Ratchet's holoform was sitting next to him with a wet washcloth. Pierce felt the warm washcloth wiping his cheeks from the tear stains. "Thank you." He whispered.

"You're welcome. Optimus and Dani'll be in here after she eats lunch. Rest and call out if you need something."

"Thank you." Pierce said as Ratchet stood up and his holoform shimmered out of existence. Pierce, for the first time, felt relieved that he wasn't yanked or told to get out of bed roughly. His body felt exhausted and he relaxed.

-0-

Dani

I was quiet as I ate my lunch. Optimus' holoform sat in front of me. I didn't make too much eye contact with him. "Dani." He said. "You need to learn to make eye contact with everyone."

"Make eye contact with everyone? Haven't I?"

"No. Look up and look at me in the eye."

I frowned, but did as he told me. I held his gaze for a second and then looked away. "Dani." He said. "Look at me."

I looked at him. "Keep your gaze on me for one minute."

Keep my gaze on him for a minute? Okay. That was easy. I looked down at my food and ate. "Dani. That was only a second. A minute is?"

"Ten seconds." Dani guessed.

Optimus looked at her in shock. "Do you not know how to tell time?"

I shook my head. "Only digital."

"So if you can't read a clock face with numbers and hands, you can't tell time."

"No." I flushed in embarrassment. "Can't count money either." I admitted.

I heard footsteps behind me and I turned to see Barricade standing there.

"You can't count money either?"

"It's my ADD." I told him. "You see, when I was younger, Mom tried so hard to get me engaged in preschool- Mom tried so hard to get me engaged in preschool, but things were so difficult to me. I spoke words backwards like a Dyslexic does. I couldn't say my ABCs well and I was behind on everything. By the time I was in my Elementary school years, I couldn't socialize with anyone and no matter how many times I tried to socialize, I felt the urge! The need to 'play' with my peers, but they wouldn't accept me. No matter how many times I asked to play, they'd always say no. I spent a lot of my time walking around the playing field. It was worse for me because all I ever heard was their taunts, jabs, and name calling." I paused. "All I ever wanted to do was fit in. All I ever wanted was a friend. It was then I figured that I was completely different from everyone else. Everyone else viewed me as an outsider. Everyone else didn't care about how I felt or how sensitive I became. Frustration through school was like when Optimus kept asking the same question over and over until I got it. It's like I've got half my mind here-"

"You're confusing us." Barricade said. "State why you didn't learn how to count money. We didn't want to hear all about the time-"

"Yes we do. This explains it all. Go on, Dani." Optimus said.

"Everything you say goes in, but doesn't get absorbed. It's like I've got a block! A block that refuses to budge. It frustrates me because I want to learn, but can't. It's like I'm supposed to learn little by little. It's like a slow leaking faucet. Little by little the water drips until there's a puddle in the sink. It doesn't matter how long it takes one to learn, it's the speed. If you talk to fast, I don't get it. If you talk slow, I understand."

"What about counting money?"

"I can count ones, but not adding fives, tens, fifteens, twenties, and fifties. If you were to give me quarters, I wouldn't be able to count them. Dad, if I had money, the lunch lady or teacher would tell me how much I'd get back. Then I'd memorize it to get snacks and stuff."

"You need time to learn." Optimus noted.

I nodded as I wiped my mouth with my napkin. "See! I can handle eating and doing daily tasks, but it's the counting the money issue and telling time."

"Your Mom and Dad taught you well." Optimus said. "Now, are you ready to see Pierce?"

"Yes sir." I said. "I'm ready."

Just wanted to say thank you to those who review, leave feedback, and encourage me to write more. This story's not over until I sing and have my cigar. :)

Please R&R.


	24. Chapter 24 Talking and Pop Quizzes

Chapter 24 Question of Trust

Pierce apologizes to Dani and develop a friendship. After meeting Pierce, Dani's taken for a pop quiz by Optimus. Dani panics and frets over the quiz.

-0-

Optimus took me into Pierce's room. Optimus set me next to his bedside. I saw dried tear stains and my heart throbbed with his pain. "Pierce?" I asked nervously. "Hi?"

Pierce turned to me with pain filled eyes. "Dani?" He croaked and looked at the big Mech and 'Con. He struggled to sit up and we kind of waited for a moment.

"Let's wait outside." Optimus said, getting it. "They want to be alone."

They left.

I sat down next to his bed.

"Dani. How are you?"

"I'm fine. So, how are you?"

"I'm hurt." He said, looking at me. "I hurt all over my body."

"Do you want me to call them back in here?"

"No. They'd just send that walking, talking wrench-throwing medic in here."

"Walking, talking wrench-throwing medic?"

"Yeah, um Ratchet."

"Ratchet throws wrenches at people?"

"No. Why do you ask? Hasn't he ever done that?"

"No."

Pierce sat up and I noticed how difficult it was. "Um, what happened to your back, Pierce?"

"I'll get to that later." He said. "Look. I did some pretty mean things to you and I did...called you names...and I wanted to say that I'm sorry. I...uh...didn't mean to hurt you...and I didn't...really mean what I had said. It's just...I had...times that were horrible with my step-parents-"

"Wait! You had step-parents?"

"You didn't know?"

"No. What'd they do to you?" I asked.

"They hurt me." He said. "I'd get so angry with them and I didn't know who to trust...I didn't have anyone there to protect me...but you. You had loving parents! You had everything."

"Pierce." I said. "Listen to me! Both of my parents are dead. They died protecting me...and I didn't have everything. My Mom was in locations all across the world, digging up artifacts. Dad was away most of the time and came back late at night."

The both of us were silent and I continued, "I didn't know who to trust either! We're both even now. We have trust issues and it took Optimus and his team to drill lessons into my thick headed skull. It took several different members of his team to drill lessons on trust and lessons on what happens if I run away? Optimus has spent a load of time and efforts to keep me safe and what do I do, Pierce? I ran away! I ran away because I was afraid. I kept having someone 'calling' me to come home. I didn't know why! But I was being urged to leave! All I believed was my Mom was still alive out there in that world! I believed that there was no way my Dad could've died. He got me up the other day for school!" I burst out in tears from all of my frustrations. "It's not easy waking up every morning to not seeing your Dad or Mom."

"I know. My Mom and first stepfather died in a horrible car accident. I was left with in the custody of my mother's husband. My Mom left him because he was an alcoholic and he got custody of me. I couldn't do anything right! If I made an F on something, he'd call me stupid and dumb. If I made a C or D, he'd have a fit. He told me that I'm not good enough for making A's because I was stupid."

"Pierce. You're not stupid."

"I know. I studied hard and when I had my first A, I felt like I had accomplished something good. I didn't want to show my step-parents my report cards, but they had to sign them."

"I didn't make A's either." I told him. "I made B's and C's. You had it worse than me. But what really got me, Pierce was my own embarrassment because I always believed that I would get better grades the next time the report cards come along. It was always the same. I was C average. I didn't pass anything and I always felt like the teachers were pushing me away, never setting me in the center of the classroom. Always to the side, like out of sight, out of mind. It's like they didn't want to 'deal' with a student who couldn't pull up their grades no matter the kind of struggle I endured."

"I didn't know you had so much trouble with your lessons."

"I struggled from Preschool to now." I said, rubbing my eyes. "It's just because I'm unable to keep focused on that subject. My mind drifts away from me and it's harder for me to realize what I had missed."

"I guess we're on the same page."

"I guess so." I said meekly. "But you know what! We can become friends."

"Friends?" He asked. "After all I had put you through, you forgive me?"

"Yes. So, do you want to become friends?"

"Sure. Why not?"

"When you get to feeling better, you want to pull a prank?" Pierce asked.

"What kind? Oh! As long as it's not painting Sunstreaker's paint, red."

"Sunstreaker?"

"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry. Sunstreaker's my guardian in place of Optimus. He's very mean and someone painted him red while he was in sleep mode. When I woke up to go to breakfast, I screamed because I thought he was someone else. I told him he looked different and he thought I did it. You see, these Mech's sleep on giant beds and he thought I painted him. I didn't. He went around the base as 'Redstreaker'. Oh if you see him, he'll still be colored red."

"Who pranked him?"

"Well, there's two twins who are doing that all the time. They're called Skids and Mudflap. Whatever you do, don't go near them. They fight all the time and the only one who sets them right is Ironhide. He's the walking, talking cannon-toting Mech."

"What about, um, Barricade?"

I said, "He's a Decepticon."

"What the ones with the blue eyes?"

"They're the Autobots. They're supposed to be friendly. Um, Optimus can be pretty mad if you don't do what they say! Oh! I should tell you that he does have a loud-mouth."

"What do you mean? Did he yell at you?"

I nodded. "Oh yeah! He yelled at me when I ran away. He got so mad at me when I told him that I didn't know if he meant it! He got so mad at me that I was shaken so bad. I didn't realize how mad he could get. Tread carefully around the others, too. I've noticed that they're harsher than usual."

"But why?"

I looked at the door. "They lost members of their team."

"Oh!" He said nodding. "Dani. I must really rest. I'm getting tired. Thank you for coming by. Do you think you can come tomorrow?"

"I don't know. It depends on how Redstreaker reacts to our friendship and allows me the time to come visit. Thanks for having me, though."

"No problem. See you."

"See you later," I said, standing up. I went toward the bathroom and washed my cheeks. I called for Optimus to come in and he did. "Um, what happens now?" I asked.

"One last lesson from me." Optimus said, leaving Barricade's apartment.

"Oh?"

"Yes." Optimus said, walking toward a huge apartment that looked like his.

"Is this yours?"

"Yes." He walked into the apartment and sat down a huge desk. He set me on the desk and said, "Recite to me what you have learned about lessons on trust."

I froze. "Is this a test?"

"Yes. I administer this test and then you're free to go for the rest of the day. Recite to me the lessons on trust."

Suddenly, I felt cold and I felt didn't do the assignment. I didn't seek out anyone and my face fell. I was suddenly feeling despair and turned around, away from the Autobot's Leader's face. My body stiffened and then turned around to face the Leader's face. I looked ready to sob. "I can't!" I finally said. "I can't get it out!" I said, in desperation. I hugged myself.

::Ironhide. I need your help.:: Optimus sent out.

::On my way.::

"Can't get it out!" I kept muttering.

"Can't get what out?" Optimus asked gently. It had been the first time he had heard the desperation and her vitals rising. She had 'test' anxiety. "Relax. The sooner you relax, you can remember everything. If you aren't relaxed, you won't remember."

The door slid open to his apartment and Ironhide stood there. He walked casually into the room, looking down at the frantic human in front of him.

Ironhide bent down and said, "Danielle. Calm yourself."

I jumped and squeaked, "I know it's in there! I listened! I know I did! I didn't tune out! I asked questions!"

"Danielle Evans! If you do not calm yourself, I will have Ratchet come in here to sedate you. Relax." Optimus ordered.

I looked at him and took deep calming breaths. "There. That wasn't so bad." Ironhide said gently. "Optimus. Dani hasn't really learned all the lessons on trust. I gave her homework to learn how to approach others if she has some problems. I want her to engage with others socially, but that's going to take some time."

"All right. What have you learned so far, Dani?" Optimus said, drawing some air into his vents and blowing it out.

Dani looked at him and said, "Ironhide's taught-" My mind suddenly grew blank and so did my stare. "I know this!" I said.

"Ironhide?"

"I gave you some pointers on trust, Dani. What were they?"

"You told me about the support and leadership of a country." I said, remembering the lesson. "You said that the country cannot live without it's government."  
"And?" Ironhide prompted.

"It's very much like a child." I said, looking up at Optimus.

"Go on." Optimus prompted. "You're doing fine."

"A child can't survive with their parents because they prov-ide their support and love to their child." I struggled a bit. "If a child becomes separated from their support and love, they...um..." I struggled more as my mind flooded with thoughts and then reasoning was gone.

"Without their support and love, what happens to the child?"

Dani looked behind her and then turned to look around at Optimus. "They become poor or left by themselves."

"This is where Prowl came in. What did he teach you?"

"When left by themselves, they're out on the streets because-" I stopped again. "They ran away from home because they're not getting the support and love they need. Without that, there's no balance."

"That's right." Optimus said. "True or False. When there's no balance, there's no support structure in the environment."

"What?" I asked, not at all understanding. "True? False? I don't know."

"All right. When there's no balance, there's no support structure in the environment."

I looked at Ironhide for help this time. I didn't understand and I was frustrated even more. "False? Maybe?"

"I don't think she understands, Optimus."

"What happens when there's a balanced structure in the house hold?"

"There's love."

"That's right."

"What happens when there's an unbalanced structure in the house hold?"

"There's no love and guidance."

"That's right. Kids that have no guidance fall through the cracks."

"Like Pierce." I blurted out.

"Pierce was saved by Barricade. Do you realize why we had this lesson to begin with? Do you now know why Prowl took you out?"

"I thought he did that to scare me."

"He did. He wanted you to see there's a difference between you being kicked out of your house or being left on the streets. Or worse, in a foster home. Pierce had an unbalanced home which made him pick on you. This is the main reason why we needed to teach you lessons on trust. We needed to make sure you understood that we are trying our hardest to provide a balanced home with us."

It suddenly dawned on me that the Autobots, though harsh at times, were trying to make a point about my home life. They didn't want me sad, lonely, or afraid to come to them. They wanted me to come to them for love and support. They wanted me to stay with them because they were learning how to trust me themselves. They were learning about my weaknesses and to sort out the weaknesses, I'd have to work through them.

I looked at Optimus in a new light and realized how mistaken I was. I understood his anger! I understood why he was protective of me! Now I even understood why he was mean! It was all because I had so many lessons to learn from them as they did with me.

"One more question before I turn you to Ironhide."

"Okay?" I asked.

"Who else do you trust?"

I blinked and looked at him. "You." I said. "I trust you."

He smiled. "Good. You passed your pop quiz and stay out of trouble, Dani."

"Okay." I said. "See you."

"See you later, Dani."

Ironhide picked me up and left the apartment. He looked at me and said, "You did real good, Dani. I'm glad you finally learned how to trust Optimus."

I smiled and said, "Thank you for teaching me."

"Now, how many Mechs do you trust?"

"You, Ratchet, Optimus, Barricade, Prowl, and me."

"Yourself?" Ironhide asked.

"Yes. Shouldn't you trust yourself, too?"

Looks like this story just ended. Please R and R.


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